Typhoon Haiyan and UN climate talks – seeking justice over loss and damage

IRIN: The shadow of Typhoon Haiyan - which has affected close to 10 million people in the Philippines - looms over the UN climate talks in Warsaw. The Philippines’ climate negotiator, Naderev Sano, proceeded with a hunger strike he announced at the start of the conference, which he says he will continue until meaningful action is taken to address climate change.

Scientists are still uncertain whether atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emissions have caused a detectable change in cyclonic activity, but the typhoon is a “stark reminder that there can’t be any further delay in intensifying our efforts to tackle mounting loss and damage”, said Harjeet Singh, ActionAid's international coordinator for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation.

ActionAid, Care International the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released a joint paper presenting a framework for an international mechanism to address the loss and damage experienced by developing countries as a result of climate change.

The paper says evidence is mounting that efforts to adapt to climatic shocks are failing, and that countries need urgent technical and financial support.  The NGOs say global efforts to deal with climate-related loss and damage should include enhancing knowledge and coordination on adaptation efforts, improved disaster risk reduction and management, and more cooperation on technical solutions...

Animation of Haiyan from NOAA