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Writer's pictureVincent Diringer

What is the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage?

Excerpt from ClimaTalk:


The Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) is a vehicle or work programme that was established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2013 (known as decision 3/CP.18). Named after the host location of the nineteenth COP (COP19), the WIM sets out to address the devastating effects the climate crisis is having on vulnerable developing nations. The effects taken under consideration by the WIM include but are not limited to: frequent severe storm events, extreme weather or slow building impacts of climate change like desertification and sea level rise. Issues such as these are especially damaging for communities with less developed economies or that don’t have the ability to adapt to or mitigate them – like Small Island Developing States.


The scope of considerations for loss and damage under the WIM includes any impact on infrastructure, geophysical features, society, and economic output. As such, this piece of international policy sets out to help countries by sharing best practice, implementing policy that helps promote adaptation and mitigation, while providing opportunities for collaboration between developing and developed nations. While, however, the WIM works towards improving global resilience towards the impacts of climate change and ways to help vulnerable nations, it has had some controversy attached to it.




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