The 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP 28, in Dubai scored an early win when countries agreed to operationalize a new fund for “loss and damage” due to climate change on the very first day.
But that spirit of cooperation could prove short-lived, as climate activists accuse negotiators from the United States of trying to strip the phrase “loss and damage” from the new fund’s name. They say U.S. negotiators are pushing a more neutral label that does not carry the same suggestion that high-emitting countries have a responsibility to provide funding to address the harms caused by climate change.
For example, speaking in Dubai last week, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry repeatedly referred to a “fund for climate impact response,” rather than using the phrase “loss and damage” — even rewording questions from reporters to reflect the preferred phrasing.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
