The complexities of climate-related 'Loss and Damage'

摘要

The establishment of a Loss and Damage Fund to provide financial assistance to nations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change was, for many, the highlight of the UN Climate Conference (COP 27). The term 'loss and damage' was first introduced at UN climate negotiations in 1991, by Vanuatu. Pacific small island developing states (SIDS) already face average annual losses from climate-related events totalling US$ 1.1 billion, and under moderate climate warming scenarios Vanuatu could lose 20 of its GDP annually. But why is Vanuatu particularly vulnerable to climate change? After all, it is mountainous (see right), not a low-lying coral island or atoll.