UNFCC Loss and Damage Executive Committee

Program Director of the Risk, Policy and Vulnerability (RPV) Program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Dr. JoAnne Linnerooth Bayer, facilitated the opening session of the initial meeting of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts, 25–28 March 2014, United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC) secretariat, Bonn, Germany. 

As part of the Cancun Adaptation Framework, Parties initiated consideration on approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Following two years of deliberations on this issue, in November 2013, the Conference of the Parties (COP19)  established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts, as the main vehicle under the Convention to promote the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage in a comprehensive, integrated and coherent manner. (See decision 2/CP.19 for the details.)  

The mechanism will facilitate the exchange of information and best practices for dealing with climate change-induced losses and damages, as well as strengthen action and support, including by facilitating the mobilization of finance. The interim implementation of the mechanism will be guided by an executive committee, which will report to the COP, and be reviewed in 2016.

Last edited: 26 March 2014