COP 28: A step forward for communities on the frontline of the climate crisis

COP 28 has been and gone – the global climate negotiations always get a lot of international media attention, but now that the delegates have all gone home, what do the commitments made mean for the communities that VSO works with on the ground?

One of the most historic outcomes from this year’s summit was the establishment of a loss and damage fund. This fund, which has collated more than $700 million to date, will provide technical assistance to countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. 

During COP28, VSO presented evidence from Malawi of how our volunteers are working in communities to mitigate the impacts of loss and damage in their own communities.

Following Cyclone Freddy in March 2022, national volunteers Maya and Samsung led a loss and damage assessment in Mulanje district. They trained a small team of community volunteers to use an app which could be used on their phones offline to collect data from the local community about their needs. They found that a lot of children had experienced trauma, and there were challenges around food security and people affected by Malaria.

The volunteers presented the results to the district health committee, who were able to mobilise local resources to address some of these challenges- including distribution of malaria kits, tree-planting and the re-construction of a bridge that had collapsed.

This example illustrates how, through engaging local communities and working collaboratively we can ensure that funding for loss and damage is able to reach those who need it most.