The Santiago network for averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage (SNLD) was established at COP 25 in Madrid (December 2019), as part of the Warsaw International Mechanism for loss and damage (WIM). Its purpose is to catalyse the technical assistance of organizations, bodies, networks and experts (OBNEs) for the implementation of relevant approaches at the local, national and regional level in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

At COP 27, Parties agreed to the institutional arrangements of the SNLD which pave the way for its full operationalisation. This briefing unpacks that decision and also explains the broader context of other ongoing processes both under and outside the UNFCCC that are relevant to its full operationalisation. The briefing concludes that the COP 27 decision is just a starting point for analysis and there are many elements that need to be clarified and subject to further discussion to ensure that the SNLD delivers on the needs of communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis: the work is only just beginning.