Loss and Damage in Focus: 10 Years of the Warsaw International Mechanism
2023 marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts. The 10-year Anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on advances made in institutionalizing efforts aimed at averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage and put a spotlight on challenges and solutions.

 

The WIM Executive Committee presents
Loss and Damage in Focus: 10 Years of the Warsaw International Mechanism
A Photography Exhibition at COP28
 

The impacts of climate change are felt more acutely than ever before. Supercharged storms, intense floods and persistent droughts are already affecting billions of people around the world. Loss of lives and livelihoods and damage to properties and assets are the tragic and inevitable result of these impacts. Slow onset events – sea level rise, ocean acidification, land degradation, biodiversity loss and more – are also poised to cause loss and damage. The latest reports of the IPCC confirm that urgent action is needed.


COP 19 established the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) in 2013. It also established its Executive Committee (WIM ExCom), which guides the implementation of the functions of the WIM promoting integrated and coherent approaches to loss and damage associated with climate change impacts.
 

To commemorate its establishment the WIM ExCom presents Loss and Damage in Focus: Ten Years of the Warsaw International Mechanism, a photography exhibition that took place at COP 28. The exhibition, featuring select photos from a diverse set of contexts, aims to illustrate responses to loss and damage and showcase possible solutions, while telling the stories of the people and the communities on the frontlines of climate change.

DEADLINE EXTENSION FOR SUBMISSION OF PHOTOGRAPHS: 30 September 2023

Submit your image to LossAndDamageInFocus@unfccc.int (max size 5MB)

Guidelines for submitting photographs:

  • Only photographs that will be assessed to depict imagery that is coherent with the theme of the exhibition will be accepted. The focus of the exhibition is to showcase loss and damage relevant solutions and examples of efforts to avert, minimize and address loss and damage.
  • Submissions are open to all, including professional photographers and UN system staff, with the exception of UN Climate Change staff.
  • Winning entries in photo announced before 5 June 2023 are not eligible for the exhibition
  • Photographs must not be copyrighted elsewhere. 
  • No entry fee will be charged.
     

Steps to submit your photographs:

1. Complete the Copyright Release Form, including signature(s) and acceptance of legal conditions. The Form will also require you to provide identifying information, a brief image title (~20 words), a description of the image (~150 words) and legal release. 

2. Email your photographs and Copyright Release Form to LossAndDamageInFocus@unfccc.int  with the subject “Loss and Damage in Focus”.

3. Entries will be received until the 30 September 2023 at 11:59 CEST.
 

Format of photos for submission:

  • Images must be submitted in JPEG format and should be sized to be between 2,000 and 6,000 pixels in the longest dimension. 
  • Please limit your images to a maximum file size of 5.00KB (5MB). Larger files may be requested for printing. 
  • Please do not include any watermark or borders on your images.
  • Color or monochrome images will be accepted.
  • Entries may have been taken from any camera, digital (including smartphones) or film (as a high-resolution scan). 
  • Image data files can be created with digital smartphones and digital cameras, including medium and large-format cameras.
  • Submitters should perform all digital manipulation before submission. Images will not be further manipulated in any way. 
  • Post-processing images is allowed. This includes global adjustments to exposure, contrast, burning, dodging, cropping, sharpening, noise reduction and tone. Minor cleaning of images is permitted.
  • Techniques that involve using multiple images taken at the same time and place are also allowed.
  • Images that appear to be overly processed may be subject to disqualification at the organizer’s discretion.
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