The Climate Charter – A Practical Guide Session 7: Understanding Climate Change Loss and Damage and Links to Humanitarian Action

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) includes commitments regarding “Loss and Damage” (L&D) – the impacts of climate change to which those least responsible for climate change are not able to adapt. Action to address L&D under the UNFCCC aims to enable countries to recover and develop after a crisis and address slow-onset impact, but also to compensate people for what they have lost. The concept of L&D is rooted in the principles of climate justice: that those who have done the least to contribute to rising temperatures should not bear the costs associated with addressing it.

This session will explain what Loss and Damage is and how it could support – and be supported by – existing humanitarian finance mechanisms. The session will explore the losses and damages experienced by individuals, communities, and governments and how adequate funding for loss and damage could reduce the impact of short-term, protracted, and slow onset crises.

This webinar aims to:   

  • Improve understanding of Loss and Damage and its relationship to climate finance, as well as the importance of this year’s COP27 to Loss and Damage and how it links to humanitarian action.
  • Discuss why humanitarian organizations need to engage on the topic of Loss and Damage, among others, in the lead-up to COP27.
  • Highlight the modalities and strategies for humanitarian NGOs to engage in the preparatory work for COP27 and beyond.

 

Event polls

During the event, we also asked participants to share their views and advice on the discussed topic. You can find the final results of these below.

 

Event recording (YouTube)

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Event recording (audio podcast)

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Speakers

Bettina Koelle Senior Learning Specialist, Red Cross and Red Crescent Climate Centre
Jeffrey Maganya Regional Head of Programmes, Horn, East and Central Africa, Oxfam International
Krity Shrestha Program and Advocacy Advisor, Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance
Mattias Söderberg Chief Advisor, DanChurchAid

Co-Facilitators

Nishanie Jayamaha Learning, Program and Climate Change Coordinator, ICVA
Manisha Thomas Senior Policy Advisor, PHAP