Policy brief: loss and damage

This policy brief explores the growing urgency to address “loss and damage” caused by climate change, especially in vulnerable regions. It focuses on the impacts from both extreme (like floods) and slow-onset (like drought and sea level rise) events. The brief emphasizes the need for integrated strategies combining climate action, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development. It underscores how these impacts transcend traditional adaptation limits and require comprehensive, systemic risk management approaches that include robust financing, data collection, and policy implementation.

The brief finds that while global frameworks like the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement acknowledge loss and damage, implementation remains fragmented at national levels, particularly in countries with limited capacity. Data gaps and inadequate financing hamper efforts to effectively assess and address these risks. However, progress is being made through the establishment of dedicated funds, improved early warning systems, and technical networks like the Santiago network. The brief calls for more coherent financing, enhanced data ecosystems, and stronger integration of risk assessments to support countries in managing both economic and non-economic losses. It stresses that addressing climate-induced losses requires not just funding, but also deep systemic change in planning, governance, and coordination.