Photo: Visual News Pakistan / Getty Images
The issue of loss and damage gained momentum during COP26 last year in Scotland and is on the provisional agenda for this year’s summit, but it remains unclear what may come of any talk on the subject.
The countries disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change and least responsible for it say that wealthy nations must pay for their share of the damage. But, as SciDevNet points out, these wealthy countries blocked a proposal last year to create a financing body for loss and damage, and advocates fear they could stand in the way of progress once again this year.
What should an effective loss and damage system look like?
SEI’s Zoha Shawoo weighs in:
“To be in line with climate justice principles, finance for loss and damage needs to be made in a way that puts the needs of vulnerable and marginalized communities at the centre and gives them a lot of freedom and decision-making power over how the money is used to meet their needs.”
— Zoha Shawoo
COP27 takes place from 6–18 November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
