Local Environment

Anthropogenic climate change loss and damage (L&D) is a key area of climate policy. Much of the L&D governance has been situated within the international climate regime. A major gap in L&D governance is the lack of understanding of how institutions are dealing with L&D policy and decision-making at national and industry scales. This study examines L&D governance with an emphasis on policy gaps, capacity constraints, availability of data, and access to climate finance in Fiji’s sugar industry. Systematic policy analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 28) are conducted to gain insights into L&D governance in Fiji’s sugar industry. To date, the Ministry of Sugar Industry has been unable to develop climate change and disaster risk reduction policies and plans. Other institutional constraints in Fiji’s sugar industry to avert, minimise, and address L&D include lack of human resources with technical skills as well as limited data and access to financial resources. This research recommends key policy interventions such as developing L&D policy and action plans, building capacity, and implementing a standardised practice of data management between stakeholders for urgent climate action. At the international level, the Warsaw International Mechanism and the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage could be strengthened to mobilise urgent support and action, including finance and technical assistance to avert, minimise, and address L&D in vulnerable countries. HighlightsLimited national L&D policy and mechanisms in Fiji have severe implications for farming communities and could exacerbate social-ecological systems vulnerability.The Fijian Ministry of Sugar Industry has been unable to develop robust climate change and disaster risk reduction policies to avert, minimise, and address L&D.At the international level, the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage must become fully operational and provide technical assistance for L&D needs assessment and strengthen L&D governance in developing countries.

Climate change loss and damage (L&D) presents an existential threat to the Pacific Island Countries. Having contributed least to total greenhouse gas emissions, the nations of the South Pacific are highly vulnerable to rising sea-levels, tropical cyclones and other climate-related risks. Through a narrative review of the academic and policy debate and recent media reports, this paper analyses the political nature of the L&D discussion under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Through the analysis of the crucial roles of attribution, compensation and geopolitics in framing L&D, it becomes clear that developed Parties have provided little support to respond to the financial concerns of L&D and the policy framework remains under-developed. Efforts to address L&D in Pacific Island Countries are hindered by a lack of data for understanding, monitoring and evaluating adaptation limits. Beyond that however, developed countries have largely contested any notion of legal responsibility that would require obligatory payments to compensate L&D suffered by vulnerable countries. The review of current narratives on L&D suggest there is a consistent unwillingness by developed countries to formalise approaches to attribute climate change impacts, related governance regimes, or compensatory mechanisms. The call from developing nations for compensation and rehabilitation is partly based on the argument that developed countries have both legal and moral obligations to assist poor and vulnerable countries address the issue. Financing remains a contentious issue and will likely become increasingly problematic if a universal definition and framework for responding to L&D is not agreed upon.