Malawi Hosts Regional Loss and Damage Regional Conference

After a devastating Cyclone Freddy which caused a lot of loss and damage in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar, and others, Civil Society from across hosted a Regional Conference on loss and damage which aimed at consolidating a common understanding of the extent of loss and damages, and strengthening the African Civil Society position on climate finance, especially for Loss and Damage

The Minister of Natural resources and Climate change Michael Usi recognised and appreciated the timely conference which for him was a strategic opportunity to engage with international policy decision makers on need to timely act on climate financing for loss and damage. At the same time called for more information that may guide early warnings. He said: “All stakeholders must work together to ensure that there is sufficient knowledge generation and dissemination to communities who would most benefit from early warning signs to enable them to combat and minimize the effects of the ravaging effects of the climate crisis.” A number of research papers were disseminated which weighed in on need for expediting financing towards loss and damage to those impacted especially in developing countries in Africa.

At the end of the Conference a communique was issued to the international policy community through UNFCCC on climate-related loss and damage and climate finance with a view to influencing action on the critical COP27 climate talks held in Egypt this year. Some of the key call actions included:

1.   Establish a special finance facility for loss and damage response in line with article 8 of the Paris Agreement. These finances for loss and damage should be predictable in   quality and quality and should be separate from the Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

2.   Loss and damage should to be priority items on the agendas for governmental negotiation at all annual Conferences of the Parties (COPs) of the UNFCCC and during the ‘subsidiary body’ or technical meetings of the convention.

3.   Men, women, young people and people living with disabilities experience climate-related loss and damage differently. Support to countries and communities should reflect these differentiated needs.

4.   The pivotal and leadership role that African governments should play in consolidating African voices and experiences on loss and damage and strong demand for predictable and verifiable new and additional climate finance support

Save the Children Senior Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication, Media Manager John Chipeta says:

“Save the Children mainly pushed for need to ensure the loss and damage initiative targets children different as it impacts them differently.”

The Conference was organised by Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, alongside SCI strategic partner Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC).