The fourth African Regional Conference on Loss and Damage in Lilongwe on Thursday entered its second day, with discussions focusing on mainstreaming loss and damage versus adaptation in climate action instruments.
The conference aims to drive forward urgent discussions on financing for climate adaptation and loss and damage, with a focus on locally led solutions and mobilizing resources to protect vulnerable communities.
Panelists, include Director of the Department of Climate Change Meteorological Services Lucy Ntilatila, Professor Sosten Chiotha, and Mzuzu University lecturer Edwin Hara.
In his response to common understanding on linkage of evidence on loss and damage and adaptation in Africa, Professor Sosten Chiotha said the vulnerability on adaptation is real as seen by how agricultural activities have been affected.
"On adaptation, we have baseline on affected areas Wich challenges on Climate Change and Agriculture. We know how much we loose out. But the issue of loss and damage is new hence there are no tools to quantify it" he said.
The conference is crucial, given the increasing climate change impacts across Africa, including extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and cyclones.
Despite contributing the least to global emissions, African countries bear the heaviest climate-induced loss and damage burden.
The conference, themed "Accelerating Access to Climate Finance for impactful Locally Led Loss and Damage and Adaptation", has brought together stakeholders from various Non-Governmental Organisations, government, and academia. PELUM Malawi is among various stakeholders attending the conference.
