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KEY STEPS
NEGOTIATIONS
FOCUS
PROCESS
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Call for inputs on key messages
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The Executive
Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism invites relevant organizations and experts to
provide relevant information in response to the key messages below, including making recommendations
for addressing any gaps and challenges highlighted in the key messages.
The key messages have been developed by the Executive Committee in the context of Action Area 7 of its initial two-year
workplan to encourage comprehensive risk management.
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Key messages
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a) Enabling environments are central to the effective employment of financial instruments
(i) Favourable policy and institutional environments are an important precondition for the successful
introduction or scaling up of financial instruments.
(ii) Accelerating the building of capacity that already exists within the insurance system could be
beneficial, although in the context of less developed countries and markets, ordinary market forces
are likely to be insufficient. Thus, continued careful use of donor support, such as for the initial
capitalization of risk pools, may be necessary to accelerate the closing of coverage and preparedness
gaps.
b) Putting in place financial instruments requires rigorous risk assessment
(i) Thorough risk assessment and analysis is a prerequisite for using financial instruments and tools
in the loss and damage context.
c) Comprehensive climate risk management requires a smart combination of financial
instruments and tools
(i) Different types of financial instruments and tools should be embedded in strategies that include
risk prevention, reduction, preparedness, response and recovery.
(ii) Comprehensive climate risk management should build on and expand the scope of existing
strategies, and synergize with financial schemes designed to address risks not directly associated
with climate change.
(iii) Insurance can be a part of a comprehensive risk management process that includes emphasis on
risk identification, risk reduction and risk assessment.
(iv) In addition, more innovative tools to deal with particular losses and damages, such as those
caused by slow onset events, could be integrated.
d) Linking financing for disaster risk management and adaptation bears large potential
for minimizing, averting and addressing loss and damage
(i) There is significant potential in linking disaster risk and climate adaptation financing. In this
regard, financial instruments and tools that can address the risks of loss and damage should be
integrated into national adaptation plans and other relevant processes.
(ii) Risk financing strategies should be designed in a sustainable and viable manner, both in
economic and social terms.
e) Ongoing capacity-building and appropriate donor engagement is required for the
effective use of financial instruments
(i) Ongoing capacity-building is needed so that users are able to build demand for financing
instruments and enhance their capacity to produce comprehensive risk management plans and integrate
risk finance.
(ii) Donor engagement is needed, especially in the early stages of a programme or new
instrument.
f) Specific financial instruments and tools are needed to reach the most
vulnerable
(i) Special attention for capacity-building and financial instruments are needed in order to enable
the most vulnerable to partake in comprehensive risk management approaches, given many financial
instruments require preconditions, such as a certain level of liquidity or credit worthiness that the
most vulnerable are not able to meet.
(ii) Integration of social protection schemes, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
can help improve the livelihoods of poor people.
g) Public-private partnerships can enhance effectiveness of financial
instruments
(i) Expertise and experience of the private sector is vital to the effective application of most
financial instruments.
(ii) Governments can incentivize the provision of financial products by the private sector.
(iii) Given that loss and damage affects the most vulnerable segments of populations, the role of the
private sector in protecting these populations needs to be clarified and, where appropriate,
complemented by public policies, for example social safety nets.
h) Existing financial instruments and tools may be inadequate to address the full
spectrum of losses and damages associated with the adverse effects of climate change
(i) Important gaps remain regarding instruments that could be applied in the context of slow onset
events and for cases of non-economic losses and damages.
(ii) Further analysis may be useful for a better understanding of what kind of ‘novel’
instruments could fill such gap.
(iii) Discussion may be needed regarding the appropriateness of financial instruments for
non-economic losses.
(iv) Existing financial instruments may fall short of generating financial resources at a scale
sufficient to meet the growing requirements related to potential future losses and damages associated
with the adverse effects of climate change.
(v) Further attention may be needed for innovative schemes, instruments and tools in order to meet
the growing demand for financial instruments within the interconnected areas of adaptation to climate
change, dealing with loss and damage, disaster risk management and sustainable development.
(vi) Consideration of the suitability of financial mechanisms in terms of effectiveness and
affordability (‘does it work and for whom’?) is needed.
(vii) Considerations on funding options – who would pay for the financial instruments and who
would be the recipients – is needed.
(viii) Consideration of the extent of demand for insurance and needs of end-users is necessary to
develop an effective insurance program, as most of the discourse to date has focused on the supply
and operational aspects of insurance.
i) Insurance can be a valuable risk management tool, but it is not the only
one
(i) Limitations and gaps exist, e.g. low-lying island existential risks and certain slow onset
events.
(ii) Further guidance is needed about when to use financial instruments, including insurance, in the
loss and damage space and when not. It could be helpful to differentiate among the instruments most
useful for various types of loss and damage.
(iii) Implementation and ongoing monitoring requires insurance regulatory oversight to ensure
effectiveness in meeting objectives and continued sustainability.
(iv) The typical one-year time horizon of many insurance products represents a limitation, especially
for slow onset events. Modifications of current insurance programs/products may be needed.
j) Ideally, insurance premiums should be risk-related to promote loss prevention/loss
reduction, considering affordability and availability
(i) Well thought-out program design is important to:(i) enhance achievement of risk management
objectives; (ii) determine appropriate roles of the public and private sectors that may differ by
jurisdiction, especially to promote participation and determine appropriate funding/premium payments;
(iii) focus on the vulnerable population.
(ii) Equity and fairness aspects need to be considered at the design phase.
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