The extent of the damage in Jamaica is still completely uncertain and Hurricane Melissa is already raging over the next Caribbean islands. Meanwhile, funding commitments for all UN funds for climate-related disasters are falling.
By Lukas Knigge
Loss and damage is a term that refers to the negative impacts of climate change and natural disasters on people, communities and ecosystems. All news on this topic from the Table.Media editorial team. Loss and damage: Loss and damage is a concept that combines various aspects, including material damage to infrastructure, loss of production, loss of livelihoods and cultural heritage, and loss of life and health. This damage can be caused by storms, floods, droughts, heat waves and other extreme climatic events. Loss and damage is becoming increasingly important as the effects of climate change become more noticeable. A key element of loss and damage is the recognition that there are situations where adaptation and mitigation measures are not sufficient to prevent or reduce the negative impacts of climate change. There are cases where damage is unavoidable and the goal is to support those affected and minimize the impact. International climate agreements, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement, recognize the importance of loss and damage and have created mechanisms to support affected countries and communities. The Loss and Damage Mechanism (Warsaw Mechanism) was launched at COP 19 in 2013. It serves to improve coordination, financing, technology transfer and capacity building for loss and damage. Loss and damage: challenges Various measures are required to meet the challenges of loss and damage. This includes strengthening adaptation capacities, promoting insurance and risk management solutions, expanding early warning systems and improving infrastructure. It is also important to strengthen cooperation at international level in order to share knowledge and experience and identify best practices. In addition, Loss and Damage should serve as an incentive to increase efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. By limiting the rise in temperature, many of the worst impacts can be avoided or reduced. Overall, loss and damage is an important aspect of the global discussion on how to deal with climate change. It is crucial that those who are most affected receive support to recover and become more resilient to future challenges. At the same time, there must be a continued focus on addressing the root causes of climate change and finding common solutions to prevent the worst impacts.
