Since 2015, the increasing number and intensifying nature of the impacts of climate  change worldwide and the lack of progress on both the mitigation and adaptation  goals outlined in the Paris Agreement (UNEP, 2022b; 2022a) has heightened  attention on addressing climate-related losses and damages, particularly in countries  in the Global South. Actions and mechanisms for addressing losses and damages  are numerous, from measures to preserve lives, livelihoods and dignity, and  minimise loss of biodiversity, to the replacement or repair of assets that were lost or  damaged, to supporting livelihood recovery and population resettlement to safer  locations. However, there is no international policy framework to guide and organise  these measures for addressing losses and damages, resulting in partial measures  and insufficient financial arrangements.

Nations took a momentous decision at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to establish a new Loss and Damage Fund and new funding arrangements to assist  developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change  in addressing climate-related losses and damages. A Transitional Committee was  mandated to design and operationalise these new funding arrangements, including  on institutional arrangements, modalities, structure and governance, as well as  elements, sources of funding and coordination with other funding mechanisms, to  make recommendations for adoption at COP28. For the proposed financing  mechanisms to be effective, the Transitional Committee will need to find solutions to  barriers that are already preventing the channelling of resources and support to  where they are most needed, and other barriers preventing effective action. 

This Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) begins to identify different barriers and  assess how they are constraining efforts to address climate-related losses and  damages in low- and middle-income countries. It also analyses how frequently these  barriers are reported and analysed in the policy and academic literature, and  highlights variations across contexts.

The findings of this assessment are valuable for stakeholders engaged in the United  Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and beyond.

They can be used to help shape action and support for vulnerable countries and  communities. An understanding of the barriers in addressing losses and damages  experienced to date should inform the design of the Loss and Damage Fund and be  used to enhance coordination across all financing arrangements – to avoid  replicating or compounding the barriers. This report can also inform the Terms of  Reference that are being drawn up for the new host of the Santiago Network – which  will catalyse technical assistance for the implementation of relevant approaches for  averting, minimising and addressing losses and damages at the local, national and  regional level in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse  effects of climate change.