The Santiago Network for Loss and Damage (SNLD) was proposed at COP 25 in Madrid in 2019.

The establishment of the network aims to facilitate the provision of technical assistance to communities on the front lines of climate change and address the losses and damages associated with the harmful impacts of climate change at the local, national, and regional levels in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

However, despite the approval of the loss and damage fund at the previous COP in Egypt, the network has not yet been activated.

"The Earth Call" interviewed international lawyers from the Loss and Damage Coalition (L&Dc), specifically Heidi Marri White and Haisnet Netjaga, to learn about the network's activation schedule, related concerns, and the hosting organizations.

The Loss and Damage Coalition's lawyer, Heidi Marri White, provided the photo with permission.

Here is the text of the interview...

How can the Santiago Network support the development of regional and national strategies to address losses and damages?

The Santiago Network connects vulnerable developing countries with the technical assistance providers, knowledge, and resources they need to combat climate change.

The network aims to stimulate and direct reliable technical assistance to support efforts and approaches to address losses and damages at the local, national, and regional levels in developing countries particularly vulnerable to the harmful impacts of climate change.

However, the Santiago Network is not yet ready to operate, and negotiations are ongoing regarding its full activation; nevertheless, the network is expected to support the development of regional and national strategies to address losses and damages by facilitating technical assistance for developing countries on aspects related to climate change-related losses and damages.

The network will also need to meet the technical needs of communities vulnerable to climate change by providing them with the necessary resources and knowledge.

What is the role of the Santiago Network in addressing losses and damages associated with climate change?

The Santiago Network for Loss and Damage (SNLD) was established to stimulate technical assistance from relevant organizations, bodies, networks, and experts to implement relevant approaches to avoid, reduce, and address losses and damages associated with the harmful effects of climate change at the local, national, and regional levels in developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

In other words, SNLD aims to facilitate the provision of technical assistance to communities on the front lines of climate change.

How was the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage established?

At COP 25 in Madrid in 2019, the parties received a mandate at the 58th session of the subsidiary body to select a host organization for the network's secretariat, establishing the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage (SNLD). The Loss and Damage Coalition recognized the Santiago Network working group for their contributions to its development.

What are the main priorities and challenges for the Santiago Network in the run-up to COP28?

The Santiago Network requires the resolution of numerous issues before it can fully function. In the lead-up to COP28 in Dubai, we must resolve the crucial sequencing issue as soon as possible. The main priorities are selecting the host organization for the Santiago Network secretariat and nominating and electing advisory board members.

1. The countries at COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh have already agreed upon a number of roles and responsibilities for the Santiago Network secretariat, which will facilitate its work and management of daily operations. These include the task of receiving, assessing, and managing the process of responding to requests for assistance from developing countries.

Unfortunately, the Bonn climate change conference in June 2023 failed to resolve the issue of choosing an organization or group of organizations to host the Santiago Network secretariat. As a result, countries agreed to postpone the decision until the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties, which could result in further delays in network activation.

However, countries should initiate informal discussions to find a solution before they arrive in Dubai. They should also contemplate the necessary steps to not only select the host but also expedite the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to maximize the likelihood of resolving both issues during the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties.

The Santiago Network is currently operating under interim arrangements where the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has limited powers to match countries requesting technical assistance with organizations, bodies, networks, and experts that may be able to assist them.

Step 2 involves the nomination and election of advisory board members for the Santiago Network. The advisory board members elected at the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties will assume a number of advisory roles and responsibilities, as agreed by the countries at COP 27. Before the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties, it is crucial to nominate members for a variety of tasks.

The Sharm El Sheikh decision also emphasizes the importance of gender balance, and the nominated individuals should have a diverse range of experience and technical knowledge.

What constitutes the advisory board of the Santiago Network?

The board consists of a diverse group of members, which specifically includes:

Each of the five regional groups of the United Nations (Africa, Asia, and the Pacific; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; Western Europe; and others) has two members.

(b) One representative from each of the least developed countries and small island developing states is included.

(c) Two members of the executive committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism.

(d) One member from the women's and gender constituency.

(e) One member from indigenous peoples' organizations.

(f) One member from non-governmental organizations representing children and youth.

What is the nature of the technical assistance that the Santiago Network will provide?

There are many topics expected to be supported by the Santiago Network, most notably the support to avoid, reduce, and address losses and damages, including but not limited to impacts, priorities, and future actions, including those mentioned in previous COP agreements and in Article 8 of the Paris Agreement, as well as the workstreams of the executive committee and the Warsaw International Mechanism.

This includes technical assistance for developing early warning systems, sustainable livelihoods, innovative financing, and the mechanisms mentioned, all of which are potential areas of work.

However, it's crucial to remember that the Santiago Network aims to provide a wide range of this assistance in innovative and ambitious ways, driven by the needs and priorities of the country seeking it.