The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, has recorded scientific consensus that global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change have not prevented losses and damages caused by human-induced climate change from occurring. Solutions to address this are urgently needed as it emerges that loss and damage has become a part of daily life for frontline communities.

The Santiago Network for Loss and Damage has the potential to help these frontline communities. Many countries and stakeholders have now finalised their submissions on its institutional arrangements and the UNFCCC secretariat has in recent days scheduled a workshop to consider those submissions which will occur from 4-6 May 2022 in Copenhagen.

This brief reflects on where we are and where to next and must be understood in the context of unsatisfactory progress on the Loss and Damage finance negotiations under the UNFCCC with the Glasgow Dialogue being framed by developed countries as not leading to any agreement at COP27 for a Loss and Damage Finance Facility or new and additional finance to support frontlone communities. What we must be clear about is that without complementary progress on finance, the needs that the Santiago Network identifies will not be able to be addressed: it will be an empty shell.

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