ECO has been sitting on the edge of its chair waiting to find out how the work of the Warsaw Loss and Damage Mechanism has progressed since the first meeting of its ExCom at the end of March.
Disappointingly, the much anticipated ExCom presentation left ECO puzzled: precious few insights were presented on the content of the work plan. The veil of secrecy has not been fully lifted, Yet, ECO is motivated by ExCom’s decision to open up the work plan for input from Parties and other stakeholders until July 1. What’s more, it will also webcast its next meeting live. Based on the comments received, the ExCom plans to advance the work plan by its second meeting, planned for the end of July. They will even accommodate observers who are not travelling to Bonn. ECO hopes that the work plan developed by the ExCom will leave some space for further inputs from those Parties who might not otherwise be able to meet the deadline.
Here are some ECO suggestions for those planning on making submissions:
– Prioritise the needs of those segments of the population and ecosystems which are particularly vulnerable;
– Consider key loss and damage areas such as slow-onset events, the functioning of social protection systems, migration and displacement, non-economic losses like that of ecosystems and their services, and financial instruments to provide for rehabilitation and redress needs;
– Design a long-term work plan, not just a two-year set of activities.
The discussion on modalities and composition is still ongoing. ECO is convinced that a mechanism has to be more than just the ExCom doing a bit of work here and there. The Warsaw International Mechanism must become a tool which can address the full range of needs related to loss and damage. Therefore, countries should seriously consider proposals that can contribute to this objective.
ECO would like to echo the call of very vulnerable countries for adequate representation in the future ExCom. Fully engaging those who are most in need of a functioning mechanism is a way to ensure that their substantial expertise is brought into the work of the ExCom.
