21–24 March: Fifth meeting of the Executive Committee, Bonn, Germany

At its fifth meeting the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (Excom) elected its new co-chairs Mr. Orville Grey (Jamaica) and Ms. Monika Antosik (Poland).

The Excom made significant progress in the operationalization of the mandates from COP 21 in Paris, development of its five-year rolling workplan and implementation of the activities from its initial two-year workplan.

Paris mandates 

• An intersessional working group presented a visualization of an online platform for the clearing house for risk transfer, which was welcomed by the Excom. The Excom agreed, for the next intersessional period, to identify and engage potential partners in the development and maintenance of the clearing house as well as to develop an initial version of the online platform, jointly with partners.
• The Excom took note of the status of membership of the Task Force on Displacement and encouraged the Task Force members to move ahead with holding its first meeting. The first meeting of the Task Force is planned to take place in mid-May 2017.

Development of the five-year rolling workplan of the Excom

Based on the framework for the five-year rolling workplan, which COP 22 approved, the Excom developed desired results for each of the strategic workstreams of the workplan, and agreed to further refine them intersessionally. The Excom will continue to develop its workplan at its next meeting.

Finally, the Excom agreed to organize a side event at COP 23 (November 2017, Bonn) on financial instruments and tools that address the risks of loss and damage, with a focus on highlighting innovative tools/schemes.

Excom 6 will take place in the week of 9 October 2017 in Bonn. Owing to the late timing of the meeting, the Excom agreed to develop its annual report to the COP in two parts: one on the progress of the implementation of its workplan and another one which would contain a set of recommendations to the COP.

See a summary of decisions at Excom 5 here>>> (328 kB)

4–18 November 2016 (SBSTA 45/SBI 45/COP 22)

The COP welcomed the report of the Executive Committee, and noted with appreciation the significant progress in advancing the implementation of the initial two-year workplan of the Executive Committee. It requested the Committee to continue to implement activities under this workplan.

The COP approved the indicative framework for the five-year rolling workplan of the Executive Committee as the basis for developing corresponding activities, starting at the first meeting of the Committee in 2017, and it requested the Committee to include in its five-year rolling workplan:

• Relevant work for advancing the operationalization of the mandates relating to a clearing house on risk transfer and a task force on displacement); and
• A strategic workstream to guide the implementation of the Warsaw International Mechanism’s function of enhancing action and support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, to address loss and damage.

Review of the Warsaw International Mechanism

Having considered the mandate, structure and effectiveness of the Warsaw International Mechanism, the COP recommended that there should be a process to periodically review the Mechanism, with the next review be held in 2019.

As an input to the 2019 review, the COP requested the secretariat to prepare a technical paper elaborating the sources of financial support as provided through the Financial Mechanism, and finance available outside of the Financial Mechanism, for addressing loss and damage, as well as modalities for accessing such support.

The COP also made substantive recommendations to advance the work of the Executive Committee.

For additional details see the two decisions related to the Warsaw International Mechanism adopted by the COP at its 22nd session.

30 November–11 December (SBSTA 43/SBI 43/COP 21)

The Paris Agreement

The COP adopted the Paris Agreement and related decisions.

Article 8 of the Paris Agreement Parties recognized the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage. Article 8 also identified areas of cooperation and facilitation to enhance understanding, action and support in this context.

The COP decided on the continuation of the  Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, following its review in 2016, and requested the Executive Committee to:

• Establish a clearing house for risk transfer that serves as a repository for information on insurance and risk transfer, in order to facilitate the efforts of Parties to develop and implement comprehensive risk management strategies
• Establish a task force to complement, draw upon the work of and involve, as appropriate, existing bodies and expert groups under the Convention including the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, as well as relevant organizations and expert bodies outside the Convention, to develop recommendations for integrated approaches to avert, minimize and address displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change

See here the full text of the Paris Agreement and related decisions.

Annual report of the Executive Committee

The COP welcomed with appreciation the launch of work of the Executive Committee and its report to the COP.

The COP adopted the recommendations contained in the report of the Executive Committee:

• Urge Parties to make available sufficient resources for the successful and timely implementation of the of the initial two-year workplan of the Executive Committee
• Extend the term of office of members and Co-Chairs of the Executive Committee as a result of the late nominations of members to the Executive Committee

For additional details see the decision adopted by the COP at its 21st session.

1–12 December (SBSTA 41/SBI 41/COP 20)

The COP approved the initial 2-year workplan of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. The full set of activities in the workplan is contained in annex II to the report of the Executive Committee to the COP.

The COP also finalized the organization and the governance of the Executive Committee. Key agreements include:

• The Committee shall be composed of:
  • 10 members from Annex I Parties
  • 10 members from non-Annex I Parties, comprising two members each from the African, Asia-Pacific, and the Latin American and Caribbean States, one member from SIDS, one member from LDCs, and two additional members from non-Annex I Parties

• The Committee may establish expert groups, subcommittees, panels, thematic advisory groups or task-focused ad hoc working groups, in an advisory role, to help execute the work of the Executive Committee.

4 –15 June (SBSTA 40/SBI 40)

At the 40th session of the SBSTA and the SBI, Parties initiated their consideration of the composition of, and procedures for, the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. Parties agreed to continue their consideration of this matter at SBSTA 41 and SBI 41, with a view to making recommendations thereon for adoption by COP 20 (December 2014).

For additional details see the conclusions adopted by the SBSTA and the SBI at their 40th sessions. 

11–22 November (SBI 39/COP 19)

The COP established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, to address loss and damage associated with impacts of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

The COP also established an Executive Committee to guide the implementation of functions of the Warsaw International Mechanism. The Executive Committee will report annually to the COP, and the COP will review the Warsaw International Mechanism at its 22^nd session (2016).

For additional details see the decision adopted by the COP at its 19th session.

26 November–7 December (SBI 37/COP 18)

At the 37^th session of the SBI, Parties considered progress made by the work programme to date, and initiated the work on developing recommendations on loss and damage for consideration by the COP. The SBI decided to recommend the draft decision text for consideration and finalization by the COP at its 18th session.

For additional details see the conclusion adopted by the SBI at its 37th session.

At the 18^th Conference of the Parties, Parties decided as part of the Doha Climate Gateway to:

• Establish institutional arrangements to address loss and damage at COP 19;
• Hold an expert meeting to consider future needs;
• Prepare technical papers: One on non-economic losses, another one on gaps in existing institutional arrangements within and outside of the Convention.

For additional details see the decision adopted by the COP at its 18^th session.

24 November

A pre-sessional informal meeting of Parties on loss and damage took place on 24 November. Parties welcomed information arising from the implementation of the work programme to date, and exchanged views on the possible recommendations on loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

14– 25 May (SBI 36)

At the 36th session of the SBI, Parties considered progress made to date in the implementation of the work programme, with a view to making recommendations to the COP at its 18th session.

Parties requested the Chair of the SBI to convene an informal pre-sessional meeting of Parties, in conjunction with its 37th session, to exchange further views on the possible recommendations on loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

For additional details see the conclusion adopted by the SBI at its 36th sessions.

At the 35th session of the SBI, Parties considered further activities to be undertaken in the period up to COP 18, based on the submission and a synthesis report on views and information on the thematic areas to be addressed in the implementation of the work programme, and the outcomes of the workshop on risk management approaches to the adverse effects of climate change, providing useful inputs into the implementation of the work programme on loss and damage.

Parties decided to recommend a draft decision for adoption by the COP at its 17^th session, containing agreements to:

• address issues related to thematic area 1 at the expert meeting to be held before SBI 36 (May 2012);
• prepare a technical paper to feed into the expert meeting, mentioned above;
• organize four expert meetings, three at the regional level and one for small island developing States before SBI 37 (December 2012), to address issues related to thematic area 2;
• prepare a technical paper on slow onset events, taking into consideration the outcomes of the expert meetings, mentioned above;
• conduct a literature review of existing information and case studies on the topics in the context of thematic area 2;
• invite Parties and relevant organizations and other stakeholders to submit views and information on the possible elements to be included in the recommendations on loss and damage in accordance with decision 1/CP.16.

Parties also invited organizations to provide financial and technical support for the implementation of the activities of the work programme.

For additional details see the draft conclusions adopted by the SBI at its 35th session, and draft decision forwarded to the COP for adoption at its 17^th session.

6–17 June (SBI 34)

At the thirty-fourth session of the SBI (June 2011), Parties considered submissions (from Parties, IGOs and NGOs) and a synthesis report on views and information on elements to be included in the work programme, and agreed on the following thematic areas to be addressed in the implementation of the work programme:

• Thematic area 1: Assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change and the current knowledge on the same;
  
• Thematic area 2: A range of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including impacts related to extreme weather events and slow onset events, taking into consideration experience at all levels;
  
• Thematic area 3: The role of the Convention in enhancing the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

Parties also agreed to consider additional activities, at subsequent sessions, including by taking into account, as appropriate:

• The outcomes of the workshop to identify challenges and gaps in the implementation of risk management approaches to the adverse effects of climate change (FCCC/SBI/2010/27, paragraph 86);
• The outcomes of the initial activities undertaken in the context of the work programme;
• Inputs from processes relevant to this issue.

In the context of the work programme, the SBI invited relevant organizations and other stakeholders to undertake further actions to assist Parties to enhance understanding of, and expertise that will help to address, loss and damage associated with the adverse effect of climate change, and encouraged them to share the outcomes of their activities.

Furthermore, in order to enhance understanding of the three thematic areas, the SBI:

• Invited Parties and relevant organizations to submit to the secretariat, by 15 August 2011, further views and information on these areas;
• Requested the secretariat to explore the possibility of convening an expert meeting before SBI 36 with experts nominated by Parties, relevant organizations and other stakeholders.

For additional details see the report of the SBI 34 (paragraphs 106-116), held in Bonn, Germany, from 6 to 17 June 2011.