Page - 276 - in Loss and Damage from Climate Change - Concepts, Methods and Policy Options

276 A.Lopezet al. climatechangeis to takeaholisticapproachtoriskmanagement,usingawiderange of approaches to evaluate expected risks andbenefits (IPCC2014a, b). This there- foreunderlines the importanceofcomprehensiveapproaches, incorporatinghazard, vulnerability and exposure elements of risk. It also opens up the question of the specific role ofL&Dunder theUnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimate Change,alongside the institutionalsetupforadaptationunder theUNFCCCandfor DRRunderUNISDR’sSendaiFramework.As therearemany thematic and techni- cal overlapsbetween theseareas, it is important for thosebodies administering this at theUN level to recognize the synergies and avoid duplication. This also applies to other governance levels, fromnational to local,where far too often disaster risk management andclimateadaptationarekept institutionallyapart. Overall, thephysical sciencesplayakey role in informingall aspectsof climate changeL&Ddiscussions.Climatedataisimportantthroughout,whiletherearesome clearshortcomings in termsofaccessibility,availabilityandqualityof it.Therecog- nition of limitations anduncertainties in this information is important, particularly for thosewhowillmakedecisionsaroundL&D.Therecognitionoftheselimitations should also extend to the informationonexposure andvulnerability,whichplays a significant role in determining the eventual losses and damages. Progress is being madewith regards to loss assessments andaccounting for indirect consequences as well as estimatingsocio-economic riskdrivers (IPCC2012). However, the idea of L&D for compensation and burden sharingmight trigger increasedeffortstodissectthehumaninducedclimatechangepartoftherisk.Inform- ingthediscussionsonhowtosharethecostsformanagingL&Dreliesontwoseparate steps: (1) estimating the costs ofmanagingL&D, and (2) informing the causation- basedprinciplesof thedebate.Clearly, thecaveatsandscientificchallengesofattri- bution that have been outlined here need to be part of such discussions.However, this shouldnotputonhold theefforts to integrateadaptation toclimatechangewith wider development aims and disaster risk reduction, and the search for innovative approaches to share thefinancial burdenofcurrent and future lossesanddamages.