Loss & Damage from an
African perspective
Akufuna Muyunda
Award Winning Climate Leader
Co-Founder at Young Volunteers for Environment
Zambia27th February, 2023

What is Loss & Damage?
Loss and damage refer to the negative impacts ofclimate change that cannot be prevented or avoided
through mitigation or adaptation efforts. These can
include the loss of homes and infrastructure, loss oflivelihoods, and the loss of cultural heritage.
The cost of these losses can be devastating for
African communities, particularly those who are
already marginalized or living in poverty.

Where we are Coming From...
BALI ACTION PLAN

WIM

Loss & Damage first appeared ininternational talks in 2007 as part ofthe Bali Action Plan.

Gained momentum in 2013 wherethe Warsaw International
Mechanism (WIM) on Loss &Damage was established.

COP 27

Historic decision to establish andoperationalize a loss and damage
fund, particularly for nations mostvulnerable to the climate crisis wasreached.

Why L&D is an important subject for Africa
01
02

Limited resources

03

Disproportionate impacts on
the poor and marginalized04

Impacts on critical sectors

05●Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its
reliance on natural resources, limited adaptive capacity,and inadequate infrastructure.

●

Many African countries have limited financial, technical,and institutional resources to address the impacts ofclimate change, making them highly dependent on
external support.

●

Affects the poor and marginalized, who have limitedaccess to basic services and infrastructure, and lack
the resources to cope with the impacts of climatechange.

●Critical sectors such as agriculture, water, health, andinfrastructure, which are key drivers of economic
growth and development.

●Developed countries have a moral and ethicalresponsibility to provide support for loss and damage inAfrica, including through climate finance, technology
transfer, and capacity building.

Vulnerability to climate changeInternational responsibility

Why L&D is an important subject for Africa…

Snippet of Floods in Nigeria & Drought inSenegal…

Snippet from Flush Floods in Zambia…

Snippet from Flush Floods in Zambia…

Why L&D is an important subject for Africa
0102
03
0405

●Climate change is caused by a wide range of factors,
including GHG emissions, land-use changes, and otherhuman activities. These factors can have complex andinterrelated impacts making it difficult to trace theprecise causes of specific losses and damages.

●

Climate change is a complex and dynamic process
whose variability makes it difficult to predict andestimate the costs of losses and damages with a highdegree of certainty.

●

There is often limited data available on the impacts ofclimate change, particularly in developing countries andvulnerable regions where monitoring and datacollection may be limited.

●

Even when the costs of losses and damages can be
estimated, assigning a monetary value to these impacts
can be difficult. This is true for non-market impacts,
like loss of biodiversity, cultural heritage, or human life.

●Decisions are often influenced by political and ethicalconsiderations, such as questions of responsibility,
fairness, and accountability making it difficult to reachconsensus on how to prioritize and allocate resources
for loss and damage.

Complex causal relationships

Uncertainty and variability

Limited data

Challenges in valuation

Political and ethicalconsiderations

What Developed Countries/Polluters Must Do…
Rapid emissions reductions
urgently reduce their greenhousegas emissions in line with theParis Agreement's goal of limiting
global warming to 1.5°C above
pre-industrial levels. This requires
transitioning to a low-carbon
economy and phasing out fossil
fuels.

Technology transfer

050104

Climate finance
Provide adequate and predictableclimate finance to support developing
countries in their efforts to reduce
emissions and adapt to the impacts ofclimate change. This includes scaling up
public finance, leveraging private finance,and ensuring that financing is directed
towards the most vulnerable
communities.

0203

Support the transfer of clean
technologies to developing countries toenable them to transition to a lowcarbon economy and build resilience tothe impacts of climate change. This
includes technology development,diffusion, and capacity building.

Adaptation support
Provide support for adaptation measuresin developing countries, particularly inthe most vulnerable communities. This
includes building climate-resilient
infrastructure, improving early warning
systems, and supporting communitybased adaptation.

Just transition
Ensure that the transition to a lowcarbon economy is just and equitable,
particularly for workers and communities
that are dependent on fossil fuels. This
includes providing support for retraining,job creation, and social safety nets.

What African governments should do
Developing and implementing
national climate action plans
Develop and implement nationalclimate action plans that outline
their commitments to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions andadapting to the impacts of climatechange.

Promoting renewable energy
Promote the development and use ofrenewable energy, such as solar and wind
power, which can help to reducegreenhouse gas emissions and improveenergy security.

05

0104

Building climate-resilient
infrastructure
Invest in infrastructure that isresilient to the impacts of climatechange, such as flood-proof
buildings, drought-resistant crops,
and systems for managing waterresources

0203

Building climate-resilient
agriculture
Support the development of agriculturethat is resilient to the impacts of climatechange, including investment in droughtresistant crops, agroforestry systems, andimproved water management practices

Providing financial and technicalsupport to vulnerable
populations
Provide financial and technical support tovulnerable populations, such as
smallholder farmers and pastoralists, tohelp them adapt to the impacts ofclimate change and build their resilience
to future climate risks.

The Role of Climate Leaders1234

THE END OF THISPRESENTATION AND
BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY
TO A CLIMATE FRIENDLY
PLANET FOR ALL.