Jamaica Gleaner

New Climate Analytics report shares insights on loss and damage in the Caribbean

ON THE margins of the Bonn Climate Conference (SB60) in Germany, Climate Analytics Caribbean has presented the findings of its newly published

report, A review of loss and damage in the Caribbean (1994 to 2024).

The l aunch took place on Tuesday, June 4 to an audience of regional heads of delegation, key climate change negotiator­s, and internatio­nal stakeholde­rs.

The report is the first to provide a systematic overview of how Caribbean countries are framing and reporting on loss and damage through a comprehens­ive review of national documents submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention (UNFCCC) over the last 30 years.

“What emerged from the report is that loss and damage is a broad and complex issue that is narrowly represente­d on the world stage,” said Sasha Jattansing­h, the loss and damage expert at Climate Analytics Caribbean, who is one of the authors of the report, along with Arunima Sircar, Adelle Thomas, and Olivia Serdeczny.

“Generally, loss and damage in the Caribbean is reported as economic costs associated with a climate-related event, mainly hurricanes and floods. Many other climate hazards considered important by SIDS tend to go unreported, especially slow onset events such as drought, sea level rise, sargassum blooms or coral bleaching,” she added.

The report significan­tly augments the store of data and analysis specific to loss and damage in the Caribbean, and provides government­s with a more holistic evidence base to enable enhanced access to finance for addressing loss and damage.

Despite efforts by Caribbean government­s to adapt, loss and damage from climate change is reversing developmen­t gains, leaving lasting financial stress, and causing irreparabl­e damage, including the loss of cultural heritage. As the world warms, Caribbean small island developing states – recognised for their internatio­nal leadership on the issue – are facing escalating climate impacts and spiralling costs.

“From the very beginning of the process of creating an internatio­nal response to the existentia­l threat of climate change, the issue of loss and damage has been raised by the small island developing states (SIDS),” noted Dr Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics.

“It took 31 very long years to get a loss and damage fund adopted at Sharm El Sheik in 2022, seven years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement. This new report will help to anchor Loss and Damage in the Caribbean, provide inspiratio­n and insight to others and finally enhance the flow of the resources which vulnerable countries and SIDS desperatel­y needed to deal with the climate change impacts which have exploded across the world,” he added.

Key recommenda­tions for Caribbean SIDS on future loss and damage finance and research priorities include: Developmen­t and implementa­tion of a common regional approach for loss and damage reporting; developing national plans or programmes to address loss and damage; and estimating the funds needed to address loss and damage.