Loss and Damage: Roadmap to Relevance for the Warsaw International Mechanism

COP 19 in Warsaw decided to establish the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM) under the Cancun Adaptation Framework to address loss and damage in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. As a “milestone along a road of many years of policy discussions”1 decision 2/CP. 19 finally provides the legitimization to explore approaches to address climate induced harm conditioned by limitations of mitigation and adaptation strategies.

In 2/CP. 19, paragraph 9 the COP requests the Executive Committee of the WIM to develop its initial two-year Workplan for the implementation of the mechanism’s functions. The aim of this document is to outline a possible structure for as well as possible activities within the Workplan – both targeted at providing loss and damage with a meaningful institutional basis within the climate regime.