The country insists that the Loss and Damage Fund must deliver timely, adequate, and predictable financing to vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa,
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has outlined a strong and uncompromising position on Loss and Damage Financing as nations prepare for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), climate negotiations in Belém, Brazil, from November 10 to 21.
The country insists that the Loss and Damage Fund must deliver timely, adequate, and predictable financing to vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa, and that developed nations must shoulder their historical responsibility as the world’s largest emitters.
In its national position document, Tanzania stresses that the operationalisation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) remains urgent due to the “irreversible climate impacts already affecting vulnerable communities.”
The government says the fund must be sufficiently capitalised and structured to respond not only to immediate climate-related disasters but also to long-term recovery.
“Tanzania is ready and willing to host the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage (SNLD) Secretariat,” the position paper states, adding that hosting the facility in Dar es Salaam would provide a cost-effective operational base that supports African countries.
The Santiago Network is designed to provide technical assistance to developing countries on addressing loss and damage, and Tanzania argues that locating the Secretariat in the region would support meaningful collaboration with national and regional institutions.
The government maintains that developed countries should be at the core of funding obligations.
“Scaling up predictable and adequate contributions is critical, especially from developed countries, but also from other potential contributors,” the document notes.
It calls for clarity on the scale of contributions, timeliness of disbursements, and transparent reporting on financial pledges.
Tanzania is also pushing for simplified and fast-tracked access to funds for the most vulnerable nations, including Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and African countries facing mounting climate-induced losses.
According to the national position, “Direct access modalities remain a priority demand,” reflecting concerns that complex requirements have historically delayed access to climate finance for developing nations.
Moreover, Tanzania insists that the FRLD must cover both economic and non-economic losses.
These include “displacement, cultural loss, and biodiversity impacts,” areas that disproportionately affect communities whose identities and livelihoods are tied to local ecosystems.
The government also underscores that support should not be limited to emergency response but should extend to long-term recovery and rehabilitation.
On insurance-based approaches, Tanzania takes a firm stance, rejecting mechanisms that shift the burden to vulnerable countries.
“Insurance should not be part of the loss and damage,” the document states, arguing that such schemes benefit profit-making institutions rather than communities already suffering the impacts of climate change.
Tanzania further stresses that the Santiago Network must be efficient and free of unnecessary administrative bottlenecks.
“The Santiago Network on L&D should not pose bureaucracy, and the institutions should be willing to collaborate with national institutions in the country,” emphasises the document, adding that cost-effectiveness is essential for sustainable operations.
Speaking last week, the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) chair, Dr Richard Muyungi, underscored the need for systems that reduce vulnerability across the continent.
“Our focus since then has been on how and what type of indicator is important, to ensure that we reduce the vulnerability of our countries,” he told journalists from across Africa.
Dr Muyungi noted that effective indicators must align with finance, technology, and capacity-building needs to strengthen resilience.
He also highlighted Africa’s priority to implement National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), which remain largely unfunded.
“We have been given resources for the preparation of this plan, but the full implementation is what we need,” he said.
He stressed that the structure of climate finance must shift towards funding implementation rather than planning alone.
“We need to ensure that the NAPs are aligned with the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)… but what we don’t see is the importance of the implementation of this plan, and this is what we need to do,” he added.
The debate on Loss and Damage financing has featured in UNFCCC negotiations for over a decade.
It began formally at COP19 in Warsaw in 2013 with the establishment of the Warsaw International Mechanism.
Momentum grew through COP26 in Glasgow, COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, where the historic decision to establish a Loss and Damage Fund was reached, and COP28 in Dubai, where the fund was operationalised with the World Bank as interim host.
However, initial pledges around $700 million (Sh1.75 trillion) remain far below estimated needs.
Subsequent discussions at COP29 and the SB62 sessions in Bonn raised concerns about slow accessibility and low funding levels, especially for countries with urgent recovery needs.
