By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS: http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=pacnews
5 July 2013, Nadi, Fiji - The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) wants institutional arrangements for an international mechanism on loss and damage to be established at the 19th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Poland in December.
Both the Pacific and Caribbean have been at the forefront of discussions pushing for an international framework to compensate small island states, who are vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters.
Representing AOSIS, Malia Talakai of the Nauru Permanent Mission in York reminded climate negotiators from the Pacific of the urgency to consolidate a unified position on loss and damage to form part of the AOSIS position.
“AOSIS position is that we are calling for an international mechanism. We see the value of existing arrangement but want it to be an international mechanism.
Talakai, who is the deputy leader negotiator for the 44 member group said loss and damage is not something new that AOSIS has been lobbying for at global climate negotiations.
“As far as I can remember the issue has been on the table. AOSIS pushed it before the pre-convention and they wanted the convention to address loss and damage. I think in 1991 Vanuatu put through that proposal because they were the chair of AOSIS at that time.
“Since then, it’s been a priority for the group and has always been on the table. Not until last year in Doha, it was the first time that loss and damage went to the highest political level. What we got last year was a step closer to what AOSIS has always wanted, said Talakai.
The three components of the AOSIS proposal on loss and damage include disaster risk management, insurance and rehabilitation and compensation.
“I think a lot of times, people misunderstand what AOSIS wants and think that AOSIS is calling for overall compensation fund. We see that as an element of what we want. We also see that building resilience through disaster risk management as important in the insurance component.
“But there will be some losses and damages that won’t be covered under adaptation for example. There is a point we can’t, even with the best disaster risk management initiatives, we will not be able to prevent the losses and damages, said Talakai.
AOSIS wants to maintain the unity in the group, especially when the concerns of the Pacific are being recognised globally and considered at the highest level of decision making.
“Keeping the unity of the group in the negotiations is really important.
“The way we have approached the negotiations is that partners have red lines and we have our own but we are trying to work together to find a way forward and deliver what we want. We start by working on the functions and modalities which is part of the mandate and the form comes after.
Talakai said the UNFCCC Secretariat will prepare two technical papers on non-economic losses and gaps on existing institutional arrangements within and outside of the Convention to be presented to State Parties before December.
“We feel there are gaps in institutional arrangements that already exist. Whether they are adequate enough to meet the entire needs of SIDS and developing countries, needs to be determined.
“We feel the current institutional arrangements are not enough to deal with the entire needs that we have. However we see some of the existing arrangement s will add value to the work of the proposed international mechanism, said Talakai.
A new working group was formed at the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR) this week to discuss the issue of Loss and Damage. Other working groups cover Mitigation, Adaptation, Resources and Knowledge Management.
Source: Scoop Independent News