Loss and Damage
Contents
Definition
Loss and Damage refers to the unavoidable impacts of climate change that occur despite, or in the absence of, Climate Change Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation.[1]. The concept highlights that there are limits to what adaptation can accomplish; when tipping point thresholds are crossed, climate change impacts can become unavoidable.
Loss and Damage can refer to both economic and non-economic losses.
Glasgow Climate Pact acknowledged that Climate Change has already caused and will increasingly cause loss and damage and that, as temperatures rise, impacts from climate and weather extremes, as well as slow onset events, will pose an ever-greater social, economic and environmental threat.
Economic Loss
Economic loss and damage can include things like the costs of rebuilding infrastructure that has repeatedly been damaged due to cyclones or floods, or the loss of coastline land (and homes and businesses) due to sea-level rise and coastal erosion.
Non-Economic Loss
Non-economic loss and damage include negative impacts that can't be easily assigned a monetary value. This can include things such as trauma from experiencing a climate-related natural disaster, loss of life, the displacement of communities, loss of history and culture or loss of biodiversity.
Issues and Challanges
- There is no agreed definition of "Loss and damage" in the international climate negotiations
