“Loss and Damage” left on life-support

Communities hit by climate-related disasters may have to wait even longer for help since negotiations at COP23 are failing to make meaningful progress on “loss and damage” finance. 

Tracy Carty, the head of Oxfam’s delegation at COP 23 said: “This is a maddeningly familiar situation; rich countries are once again refusing to have meaningful discussions on how to raise money to help communities facing the worst impacts of climate change.

“The current proposal is completely inadequate.  What we need is a legitimate process to explore how to raise funds for loss and damage, not a one-off workshop.  Ministers have just three days to show communities on the frontlines of climate change that they’re not alone.

“There are plenty of ways to raise funds for loss and damage, from taxes on fossil fuel extraction to international shipping, but rich countries don’t want to even consider them. Negotiating in this way only erodes trust between countries and makes actual progress even harder.”