Vital Surgery Revives Loss and Damage Solidarity
20 October 2015
ECO joins you in being glad that Monday is behind us, dear Delegates. And that the text ended up slightly less (or should that be more?) lost and damaged than it started. The reinsertion of institutional arrangements for loss and damage can be the basis for making the mechanism fit for purpose. In addition, a provision for finance for loss and damage is essential if the Paris Agreement is to enable the most vulnerable people to deal with the worst impacts of climate change.
As Typhoon Koppu (Lando) deluges the Philippines, causing flooding and mudslides, knocking out power to nine million people, displacing 16,000 and killing 11 people, it is surely more obvious than ever that a durable climate change agreement must deal with the real and pressing issue of loss and damage, alongside scaling-up action to adapt to climate change.
ECO was saddened to hear Switzerland put brackets around the whole loss and damage article–and saddened-yet-not-suprised to hear the Umbrellas pushing for no reference to loss and damage. The EU seems to have exited themselves from the debate. EU: your celebrated “partnership” with vulnerable countries means nothing if you don’t stand with them on this critical issue! [PS: This ECO article is not entirely bracketed. Gruezi!]