At COP19 (November 2013) in Warsaw, Poland, the COP established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (Loss and Damage Mechanism), to address loss and damage associated with impacts of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

The implementation of the functions of the Loss and Damage Mechanism will be guided by the Executive Committee under the guidance of the COP.

Functions of the Loss and Damage Mechanism

The Loss and Damage Mechanism fulfills the role under the Convention of promoting implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, pursuant to decision 3/CP.18, in a comprehensive, integrated and coherent manner by undertaking, inter alia, the following functions:

1. Enhancing knowledge and understanding of comprehensive risk management approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including slow onset impacts, by facilitating and promoting:

• Action to address gaps in the understanding of and expertise in approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including, inter alia, the areas outlined in decision 3/CP.18, paragraph 7(a);

• Collection, sharing, management and use of relevant data and information, including gender-disaggregated data;

• Provision of overviews of best practices, challenges, experiences and lessons learned in undertaking approaches to address loss and damage.

2. Strengthening dialogue, coordination, coherence and synergies among relevant stakeholders by:

• Providing leadership and coordination and, as and where appropriate, oversight under the Convention, on the assessment and implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change from extreme events and slow onset events associated with the adverse effects of climate change;

• Fostering dialogue, coordination, coherence and synergies among all relevant stakeholders, institutions, bodies, processes and initiatives outside the Convention, with a view to promoting cooperation and collaboration across relevant work and activities at all levels.

3. Enhancing action and support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, so as to enable countries to undertake actions pursuant to decision 3/CP.18, paragraph 6, including by:

• Providing technical support and guidance on approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, including extreme events and slow onset events;

• Providing information and recommendations for consideration by the Conference of the Parties when providing guidance relevant to reducing the risks of loss and damage and, where necessary, addressing loss and damage, including to the operating entities of the financial mechanism of the Convention, as appropriate;

• Facilitating the mobilization and securing of expertise, and enhancement of support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, to strengthen existing approaches and, where necessary, facilitate the development and implementation of additional approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and slow onset events.

In exercising the above functions, the Loss and Damage Mechanism will, inter alia:

• Facilitate support of actions to address loss and damage;

• Improve coordination of the relevant work of existing bodies under the Convention;

• Convene meetings of relevant experts and stakeholders;

• Promote the development of, and compile, analyse, synthesize and review information;

• Provide technical guidance and support;

• Make recommendations, as appropriate, on how to enhance engagement, actions and coherence under and outside the Convention, including on how to mobilize resources and expertise at different levels.

The COP will review the Loss and Damage Mechanism, including its structure, mandate and effectiveness at COP22 (2016) with a view to adopting an appropriate decision on the outcome of this review

For further details on the Loss and Damage Mechanism, please refer to decision 2/CP.19.

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