Loss and damage: disaster risk reduction messages for COP19 and beyond
This paper addresses the work programme on loss and damage of the UN-Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be at the core of negotiations during COP19 in Warsaw in order to increase efforts on adaptation and to clarify financing mechanisms and institutional settings. It asserts that the lack of adequate assessment approaches and data on climate impacts limits knowledge and understanding of appropriate prevention and risk management measures. It proposes some enhanced efforts to collect loss data and the development of transparent methodologies and standardized datasets by: (i) enhancing efforts to monitor climate-related extreme events, their direct, indirect and intangible impacts and costs; (ii) considering disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in investment decisions; and (iii) ensuring coherent and consistent treatment of disaster risk reduction in ongoing international processes.