Publications

This discussion paper offers a clarification of the concept of non-economic loss and damage and analyses the challenges in addressing NELD.

This briefing paper looks at the definitions, challenges and policy implications of non-economic loss and damage.

Produced in collaboration with the African Climate Finance Hub, the report says deep global emissions reductions are the best way to head off Africa’s crippling adaptation costs.

Africa is anticipated to be confronted with the severest adverse effects of human-induced climate change, compared to most other regions of the world, due to a combination of particularly severe projected impacts and relatively low adaptive capacity. Under any scenario of global mitigation and strong regional adaptation efforts, considerable adverse effects of climate change on Africa will remain, resulting in loss and damage.

This paper briefly highlights some of the significant and fundamental differences in objectives, terminology, approach, source of financing, legal nature and – importantly – responsibility under the UNFCCC and the Hyogo Framework.

Our understanding today already shows the need for an international response to address loss and damage and the context of this report is that UNFCCC has decided to explore a range of approaches including an international mechanism to address loss and damage.