Question

To ask the President of COP26, what discussions he has had with developed country (a) negotiators and (b) ministers on the need for new and additional finance for loss and damage in the last 12 months.

In my role as COP26 President, I have met with more than 100 Ministers from at least 65 countries. As part of these discussions, as well as in public fora, I have set out the importance of developed countries meeting and surpassing the commitment to jointly mobilise $100 billion of climate finance a year through to 2025, from a range of public and private sources.

At both Ministerial and official level we continue to raise the need for finance and action on loss and damage, noting that relevant finance for averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage comes from sources under and outside the convention.

As COP26 incoming Presidency, the UK has convened six consultations (workshops and a Heads of Delegation meeting) which have devoted substantial time to the issue of operationalising the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, in addition to a dedicated session on loss and damage at the July Ministerial which I convened in London where the issue of finance was raised. I will also hold discussion on adaptation, loss and damage, and finance at pre-COP at the end of September, with a view to political leaders providing the strategic framing for negotiator-level discussions at COP26.