Lok Sabha Question No. 2400 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: COP Conference
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2400

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2023

## COP Conference

## 2400:   SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether  India  recently  attended  the  COP  conference,  if  so,  the  outcome  thereof particularly concerning the operationalization of the Loss and Damage fund; and
- (b) the details of key agreements made to address and implement the Loss and Damage framework?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b) An inter-ministerial delegation from India attended the 28th Session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 30th November'2023 to 13th December'2023. The major outcome from COP 28 included the  decision  on  Outcome  of  the  First  Global  Stocktake,  ratcheting  up  global  climate ambition  before  the  end  of  the  decade.  These  global  efforts  will  be  taken  up  by  the countries in a nationally determined manner taking into account the Paris Agreement and their  different  national  circumstances.  Another  major  outcome  of  COP  28  is  the agreement  on  the  operationalization  of  the  Loss  and  Damage  Fund  and  its  funding arrangements.

The decision on Loss and Damage Fund adopted at COP 28 approved the Governing instrument of the Loss and Damage Fund and decided that the Fund will be serviced by new, dedicated and independent secretariat. It was also decided that the Fund will be supervised and governed by the Board. The Fund is accountable to and functions under the guidance of the Conference of Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA).  Since the decision, an amount of around USD 700 million to date has been pledged by several countries, including United Arab Emirates, Germany, United Kingdom,  European  Union,  Japan.  The  purpose  of  the  Fund  is  to  assist  developing countries  that  are  particularly  vulnerable  to  the  adverse  effects  of  climate  change  in responding to economic and non-economic loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events. The detailed decision text on Loss and Damage Fund adopted at COP 28 can be accessed at webpage https://unfccc.int/documents/636558.

Another major outcome related to Loss and Damage is the decision on Santiago network for  averting,  minimizing  and  addressing  loss  and  damage  to  catalyse  the  technical assistance of relevant organizations, bodies, networks and experts for the implementation of relevant approaches associated with climate change impacts. The host of the Secretariat for the Santiago Network was finalized at COP 28. The joint consortium of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the United Nations Office for Project Services have been selected as the host of the Santiago network secretariat for an initial term of five years, with five-year renewal periods.

Countries including Canada, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United States of America have announced their financial contributions to the work of the Santiago network.

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