As the sixty-second session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB62) came to a close in Bonn, Germany, negotiations around Loss and Damage grew increasingly complex, with parties struggling to reach a consensus.

A key outcome of the session was the forwarding of an informal note to the sixty-third session (SB63), scheduled for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil. This will continue deliberations on the third review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM).

SB62 also provided an important platform for stakeholders to exchange input on the operationalisation of the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage and the development of voluntary guidelines for incorporating loss and damage information in Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs).

This was a critical step in supporting countries as they work to integrate Loss and Damage into BTRs and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), especially with the rapidly approaching deadline for NDC 3.0 submissions.

However, progress was hindered by a major political oversight: Loss and Damage was not listed among the official priorities of the COP30 Presidency. Instead, the focus was placed on the Just Transition, the Global Stocktake (GST), and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).

This omission raised concerns among experts, especially given Brazil’s recent exposure to climate-related disasters. As the host of COP30, Brazil’s stance on Loss and Damage is seen as pivotal, yet it remains underemphasized in its presidential agenda.

Instead, attention shifted to a proposal for an agenda item on the implementation of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which mandates developed countries to provide financial support to developing nations. While this could have implications for Loss and Damage finance, it also highlighted a growing imbalance in negotiation priorities.

Observers noted a worrying trend: political attention to Loss and Damage is waning, as other agenda items, important though they are, take up increasing negotiation bandwidth. Without renewed focus, the momentum gained at COP27 and COP28 could begin to erode.

As COP30 approaches, the incoming presidency needs to send a strong political signal in support of Loss and Damage. This includes accelerating the implementation of the Santiago Network, ensuring meaningful inputs to the WIM review, and scaling up finance to meet the real needs of vulnerable communities, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars per year.