The Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue, hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program and Climate Analytics, brought together government, civil society, academia, NGOs and the private sector to discuss experiences with loss and damage in the Pacific region and options to address it.
Loss and damage refers to the consequences of climate change that go beyond what communities can adapt to. In some cases, this is because adaptation or even mitigation efforts have been inadequate, or adaptation limits have been reached.
The Synthesis Report of the sixth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment, which was released in March this year, affirmed that loss and damage from climate impacts is a reality today.
The Pacific Loss and Damage Regional Dialogue took place in Apia, Samoa from July 17-19. Funding for the team to attend and participate was provided by SPREP.
The RMI team included Climate Envoy Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, RMI Third National Communication and First Biennial Update Report Project Coordinator Kirsten Maddison, Jo-Jikum Youth Coordinator Jollia Peter, and Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce Private Sector Representative Berlin Philippo.
Jetñil-Kijiner presented on the experiences and concerns of loss and damage in the Marshall Islands, and the activities accomplished so far in direct response to loss and damage. Through community consultations as part of the National Adaptation Plan development, there is anecdotal and physical evidence already illustrating the losses and damages which have been happening and are expected to continue even while plans for adaptation are in development.
“We’re already experiencing losses on our islands at the very basic level with shorelines disappearing, with livelihoods being impacted by increasing temperatures in our ocean and in our air and also with our disappearing islets,” said Jetñil-Kijiner.
The goals of last month’s Pacific Regional Dialogue were to have an open and informed discussion amongst the Pacific community about loss and damage and the impacts that are already being felt and the long-term needs of the region, discuss specific outcomes including the consideration of Pacific positions on loss and damage under the UN climate process, and consider the Pacific stance on issues likely to be brought up at the global climate summit known as COP28 which will be held later this year from November 30-December 12 in Dubai.
These discussions will contribute to the international negotiations on loss and damage, said the RMI’s climate team.