Advocacy Brief

Loss and Damage Fund: A Participation Blueprint

By Isatis M. Cintron-Rodriguez , Liane Schalatek and Lien Vandamme

For free

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This advocacy brief’s aim is twofold: to underscore the importance of establishing robust, inclusive mechanisms for meaningful participation by all rightsholders, especially communities and groups in the most vulnerable situations, and to outline strategic modalities the Board of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) should prioritize when developing operational policies and guidelines. This brief aims to bridge the gap between policy intentions and actionable outcomes, advocating for a transparent and fully accountable participatory framework that not only ensures equitable access to the Fund but also empowers communities to lead and innovate in efforts to deal with the unavoidable climate impacts they are facing. By delineating clear, actionable strategies for stakeholder engagement, governance, and operational modalities, the brief serves as a roadmap for LDF Board members. It underscores the urgency of fostering an enabling environment where meaningful participation can thrive, thereby enhancing the Fund’s impact and driving forward the global agenda for climate justice, human rights, and sustainable development. Through this advocacy, the brief seeks to mobilize collective efforts towards a resilient future where no community is left behind in the face of the mounting impacts of the climate crisis.

Product details

Date of Publication

April 2024

Publisher

Columbia Climate School; CIEL; Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC; ACE Observatory; Loss and Damage Collaboration

Number of Pages

Licence

Language of publication

English

Table of contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2
PREFACE 4
INTRODUCTION 4
PRINCIPLES OF MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION 6
ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR PARTICIPATION 8
1. GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONAL MODALITIES 10
  - Governance Structure 10
    - Board Composition and Board Active Observers 10
    - Secretariat Composition and Role 11
  - Operational Modalities 11
    - Criteria Development and Needs Assessments 11
    - Programming Cycle, with Funding Proposal Assessment and Funding Allocation 11
    - Access Modalities 12
    - Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting & Learning (MERL) 12
    - Rightsholder and Stakeholder Input and Participation 12
  - Ensuring Best Practice Standards, Transparency and Accountability 12
    - Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) and Gender, Indigenous Peoples and Other Marginalized Groups Policies 13
    - Access to Information and Information Disclosure 13
    - Independent Grievance Redress Mechanism 13
2. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION 14
  - Enhancing Understanding and Access 14
    - Information Dissemination 14
    - Workshops and Training Programs 14
  - Strengthening Technical and Administrative Capabilities 15
    - Readiness Support and Technical Assistance 15
  - Leveraging Partnerships for Knowledge Exchange 15
    - Peer-to-Peer Learning 15
    - Building Partnerships to Include Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge 15
    - Collaboration with Academic and Research Institutions 15
  - Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning 15
    - Building Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Capacities 15
    - Continuous Learning and Adaptation 16
CASE STUDIES AND SUCCESS STORIES 16
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF THE LOSS AND DAMAGE FUND 19
CONCLUSION 21

ENDNOTES 22