In a major breakthrough for climate-vulnerable nations, Vanuatu has become the first country in the world to receive technical support from the Santiago Network for the development of a national Loss and Damage programme. This historic milestone was officially announced in December 2024 and marks a significant step in tackling the devastating impacts of climate change on local communities.
The support from the Santiago Network was confirmed at the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Global Platform, during a session on bridging climate action and disaster risk reduction. The announcement was made by Ms. Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director of the Santiago Network Secretariat.
Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change and Adaptation, Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, says the technical assistance will help the country design a long-term strategy to better understand and respond to the climate challenges facing its people.
“What does loss and damage mean for Vanuatu? What is the need for communities? How do we help communities to address it? One of the things we’re looking at is setting up a way for communities to directly access funding to deal with loss and damage. We need to understand what communities are experiencing, and how best we can respond with financial assistance.” He spoke.
The support will lay the foundation for a larger proposal estimated at around 20 million US dollars, or roughly 2 billion Vatu from the new global Loss and Damage Fund, which currently holds 700 million dollars for climate-affected countries.
The Santiago Network is working closely with Vanuatu’s national institutions and community stakeholders through a dedicated Loss and Damage Technical Committee, coordinated under the National Advisory Board.
Hon. Regenvanu said, “This group has membership from government, civil society, and the community level. We’re making sure to get input from all the different actors, so the application we submit is truly responsive to the needs at both national and community levels.”
Minister Regenvanu is urging other nations preparing to engage with the Santiago Network to adopt a participatory approach one that puts community needs at the forefront, alongside national priorities.
This bold move places Vanuatu at the forefront of global climate action, reinforcing its leadership in climate diplomacy and its commitment to building resilience for its people in the face of a changing climate.
