By Sanjeshni Kumar, Pacnews
Pacific countries must shape their own definition of “loss and damage” to ensure that responses to climate change reflect the realities of their people, Vanuatu’s Ministry of Climate Change representative told regional delegates at the Second Pacific Loss and Damage Dialogue in Apia, Samoa.
Speaking during a session on why the region should define loss and damage for itself, Florence Lautu, Manager of the National Advisory Board Secretariat, shared Vanuatu’s national loss and damage policy as an example of a country-led approach.
“What is loss and damage to us? What is loss and damage to our families, our communities, and our countries? Once we fully define loss and damage according to our own context, we will be able to address it fully,” Lautu said.
Vanuatu’s policy outlines 85 directives across 11 thematic areas, including governance, economic and non-economic losses, extreme and slow-onset events, traditional knowledge, displacement and human mobility, human rights, finance, and international advocacy. It also includes a fully costed implementation roadmap and identifies capacity gaps, technology needs, and research priorities.
“The policy makes it clear that we are dealing with a complex issue that needs contextual understanding, but at heart, loss and damage for Vanuatu can be simplified as the negative impacts of climate change, including those that are permanent, irreversible, or difficult to address,” she said.
Lautu explained that for Vanuatu, loss and damage cannot be avoided entirely, even with strong mitigation and adaptation measures.
“Loss and damage can’t be entirely avoided, especially when we face soft limits like insufficient finance, or hard limits when temperature thresholds for organisms are breached,” she said.
“Loss and damage happens in a range of events and scales, linked to mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and humanitarian response. For us, this is how we see it, and how we define it.”
She said the roadmap within the policy offers practical direction for government action.
“This roadmap gives us some comfort, especially from the government side, on what is really there for us to do and on how to address loss and damage in our country.
Lautu also underscored the need for regional cooperation.
“We heard this morning the importance of more collaboration among key institutions and stakeholders.
“We all have experienced the same impacts in our countries. By defining it in our own terms, we can ensure solutions work for our people.”
The Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025 is held from 11-12 August at Taumeasina Island Resort. It follows the inaugural Pacific Youth Dialogue on Loss and Damage, held from 7- 8 August, at the same venue in Samoa.
The Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025 and the inaugural Pacific Youth Dialogue on Loss and Damage are made possible with funding support from the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project with the Government of New Zealand.
Hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the dialogues bring together Pacific governments, youths, civil society, academia, NGOs, and the private sector to collectively advance the region’s priorities on Loss and damage.
This story was produced by the Pacific Media Team covering the meetings. Their attendance is made possible with funding support from the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project with the Government of New Zealand.
For more information, please contact SPREP Climate Change Adaptation Adviser, Ms Filomena Nelson [email protected], SPREP Climate Change Loss and Damage Officer, Ms Jessica Rodham [email protected] or Media and Public Relations Officer, Mr Keni Lesa [email protected]