This week the 4th FRLD board meeting is happening in Manila. Next year the Philippines will be hosting the FLRD board and will convene most of the meetings. This article explains what it means for Philippines and the rest of SEA.
Following the COP29 in Baku, the Philippines will be hosting this in week in Manila the 4th Board meeting of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). The country will also convene majority of the future meetings in 2025 after being selected among seven countries as the FRLD host during its second Board meeting in July 2024. This FAQ is put together to provide answers to some key questions about the FRLD and its Board, covering its purpose, operations, and the Philippines' role as host.
What does hosting the FRLD mean?
The FRLD was established in order to address loss and damage in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. As of November 2024, around $720 million USD has been pledged by 24 countries. The latest of these contributions was made by Sweden during COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan for approximately USD 19 million. However, it was the only country that made a pledge in 2024. The World Bank is the interim trustee and host of the FRLD Secretariat while the Philippines is the host of its Board.
The World Bank was specifically invited to be the FRLD’s Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) host for an interim period of four years. The World Bank’s acceptance of this role came with a set of conditions in order to ensure the independence and autonomy of the FRLD Board. The inaugural Executive Director of the Fund, who will serve for a period of four years beginning 01 November 2024 is Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, who currently serves as Special Representative of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa on ESG and was previously the UN-Assistant Secretary General and Director General of the African Union specialized agency, the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group.
For its part, the Philippines, during the 2nd FRLD Board meeting, was selected to host the said Board among eight countries who submitted their bid. Republic Act No. 12019, known as the Loss and Damage Fund Board Act , gave the Board the juridical personality and legal capacity to discharge its roles and functions.
What is the current composition of the FRLD Board?
Currently, the Board consists of 26 members from Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Of these 26, 12 are from developed countries while 14 are from developing countries. The Philippines, aside from being the host of the Board, is also a permanent member representing Asia-Pacific for 2024 and 2026, while serving as an alternate member for 2025. The current co-chairs are Mr. Richard Sherman (South Africa) and Mr. Jean-Christophe Donnellier (France).
The 26 members are nominated in line with the following geographical representation: 12 members from developed countries; 3 members from Asia-Pacific States; 3 members from African States; 3 members from Latin American and Caribbean States; 2 members from small island developing States; 2 members from the least developed countries; and 1 member from a developing country not included in the regional groups and constituencies previously listed.
Below is the list of the Board members:
| Member | Country | Constitutency | Alternate |
| Richard Sherman (co-chair) | South Africa | African States | Sumaya Zakiedeen Hamdan (Sudan) |
| Mohamed Nasr | Egypt | African States | Tosi Mpanu Mpanu (Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
| David Kaluba | Zambia | African States | Selam Kidane Abebe (Ethiopia) |
| Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa Al Harthi | United Arab Emirates | Asia-Pacific States | Didar Temenov (Kazakhstan) |
| Mohammad Ayoub | Saudi Arabia | Asia-Pacific States | Ali Tauqeer Sheikh (Pakistan) |
| Mark Dennis Y.C. Joven | Philippines | Asia-Pacific States | Gholamhossein Darzi (Iran) |
| Antonella Baldino | Italy | Developed countries | Karima Oustadi (Italy) |
| Sebastian Lesch | Germany | Developed countries | Simon Stumpf (Germany) |
| Jean-Christophe Donnellier (co-chair) | France | Developed countries | Antoine Bergerot (France) |
| Ana Paula Rodrigues | Portugal | Developed countries | Gazika Malo (Spain) |
| Jan Dusik | European Union | Developed countries | Ronan Sweeney (Ireland) |
| Jens Fugl | Denmark | Developed countries | Anna Merrifield (Finland) |
| José Delgado | Austria | Developed countries | Georges Gehl (Luxembourg) |
| Laurence Ahoussou | Canada | Developed countries | Ben Abraham (New Zealand) |
| Hiroki Matsui | Japan | Developed countries | Hyokai Tsuyoshi (Japan) |
| George Børsting | Norway | Developed countries | Karoline Kjeldsenas Norway) |
| Gerard Howe | United Kingdom | Developed countries | Claire Holzer Fleming (United Kingdom) |
| Rebecca Lawlor | United States | Developed countries | Alexandria Miskho (United States) |
| Nona Budoyan | Armenia | Developing countries not included in the regional groups and constituencies | Rajasree Ray (India) |
| Liliam Beatris Chagas de Moura | Brazil | Latin American and Caribbean States | Victoria Gandini (Argentina) |
| Elena Pereira | Honduras | Latin American and Caribbean States | Jaime Tramon (Chile) |
| H. Elizabeth Thompson | Barbados | Latin American and Caribbean States | Anthony Ferguson (Bahamas) |
| Daniel Lund | Fiji | Small Island developing States | Ahmed Waheed (Maldives) |
| Peter Abraham Jr | Antigua and Barbuda | Small island developing States | Laura Elizabeth Agathine (Seychelles) |
| Adao Soares Barbosa | Timor Leste | Least developed countries | Maheshwer Dhakal (Nepal) |
| Djibril Ibila | Benin | Least developd countries | Madeleine Diouf Sarr (Senegal) |
What does it mean for the Philippines and Southeast Asia in terms of setting the agenda of FRLD?
While the Phiiippines has been chosen as the host of the FRLD Board, it does not mean that it has priority access to the funds; neither does this mean that it will have the most influential individual decision-making as the Fund’s operationalization and disbursement.
However, as one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis, being the host of the FRLD’s Board will emphasize the country’s political will and leadership in averting, minimizing, and addressing losses and damages as a result of climate change. It is also a very important international statement: that developing nations have a crucial role to play in multilateral climate governance and in the implementation of global climate actions.
As a country that is consistently ranked as one of the most high-risk countries in the world because of climate change, hosting the Board presents an opportunity for the Philippines to demonstrate its capacity for political leadership and ability to manage a crucial financing mechanism, through the frames of equity and justice.
Will there be space for civil society to engage?
The fourth meeting of the Board of the FRLD will take place from 2-5 December 2024 in Manila, Philippines. While earlier criticisms involved the inadequacy of civil society representation in the Board meetings, the provisional agenda for the upcoming meeting includes a dialogue with civil society, and more civil society representatives are expected to attend for the final meeting for the year.
For instance, during the third meeting of the Board which took place between 18-20 September 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan, only one representative from each of the nine observer constituencies to the UNFCCC was invited. It is expected that the fourth meeting will have much more space for civil society to participate and engage in discussions with the Board.
Many civil society organisations have their own initiatives as well, leading up to the Board Meeting. For instance, the Loss and Damage Collaboration (L&DC) collated submissions on case studies on community access to inform the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. The Manila Observatory responded to the L&DC call by sending in the policy brief it drafted with the Benguet State University on indigenous farmer responses to loss and damage, a project made possible through the generosity of Heinrich Böll Stiftung Southeast Asia. This policy brief was also presented in three side events during COP29 on community-led financing for loss and damage. Other organisations have also made their own submissions directly to the FRLD, including Aksyon Klima Pilipinas, a broad coalition of civil society organisations in the Philippines. The Aksyon Klima submission was also co-authored by Jameela Joy Reyes.
What is the expected outcome of the 2-5 December Board meeting in Manila?
The proposed agenda of the fourth Board meeting is heavily focused on the reporting back of the co-chairs on the decisionmaking, travel policies, and, most importantly, options and choices for further operationalising the FRLD. It will also establish a new, dedicated, and independent Secretariat from the interim one.
There will also be a discussion of addition rules of procedure for the Board and an agenda item on how best to allow observers to participate in the Board meetings and related proceedings.
Civil society will be present during this last meeting for the year, and will bring with them questions on further operationalisation of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following:
- How can the provision, contribution base, and mobilisation of funding to the FRLD be enhanced?
- How will the funding under the FRLD be disbursed? When?
- What will be the criteria for determining allocation and disbursement of the funds?
- How will the Board ensure that communities will have direct access to the FRLD?
- Should non-Party stakeholders be represented in the FRLD Board?
- How can the fund be accessed in such a way that it is equitable and just?
- Will the pledges and eventual contributions to the Fund be new, accessible, predictable, and adequate (NAPA)?
Hosting the FRLD Board is a significant opportunity for the Philippines to demonstrate leadership in addressing climate-induced loss and damage while advocating for equity and justice in global climate financing. The outcomes of the upcoming Board meeting in Manila will be essential in helping shape the future operationalization of the Fund and its impact on vulnerable communities worldwide.
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Jameela Joy Reyes is a climate justice lawyer affiliated with the Manila Observatory, the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (Friends of the Earth Philippines), and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. She has co-written articles on climate governance and climate justice, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes particularly on loss and damage and just transition, and the intersections between environmental and human rights. She holds MSc in Global Environment, Politics and Society from the University of Edinburgh, UK.
Ma. Laurice Jamero, PhD is climate change, adaptation and resilience expert working towards sustainable development in the Global South. She is Senior Scientist of the Klima Center of Manila Observatory.
Disclaimer: This published work was prepared with the support of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung. The views and analysis contained in the work are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the foundation. The author is responsible for any liability claims against copyright breaches of graphics, photograph, images, audio, and text used.
