Loss and damage has quickly emerged as a key theme of COP28, with the news ahead of the summit that rich countries would set up a loss and damage fund, as promised last year.
 
So what is loss and damage, and how has it become the latest frontier in the fight against climate change?
 
Two loss and damage experts join us on this episode to explain more: Julie-Ann Richards, who is the strategy lead for the Loss and Damage Coalition; and Dr Melanie Pill, with the Lowy Insitute. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/contributors/articles/melanie-pill
(links).
 
Loss and Damage Transitional Committee - https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/bodies/constituted-bodies/transitional-committee
 
Green Climate Fund: https://www.greenclimate.fund/
 
Pacific Resilience Facility: https://www.forumsec.org/prf/
 
EU Solidarity Fund: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/97/the-solidarity-fund#:~:text=The%20Solidarity%20Fund%20is%20the%20main%20EU%20instrument,a%20flood%2C%20forest%20fire%2C%20earthquake%2C%20storm%20or%20drought.
 
Tuvalu Australia agreement: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/10/tuvalu-residency-and-security-treaty-what-is-it-and-why-is-australia-doing-it

Episode 03 A Little Less Conversation, with Dr Melanie Pill and Julie-Anne Richards

Australia made headlines earlier in 2023 with the announcement it was rejoining the Green Climate Fund, reviving interest in the fund.

It is the world's largest climate fund, and aims to give a boost to transformative climate action in the form of grants to affected nations.

It has attracted its fair share of criticism, particularly over lengthy delays in actually getting money to where it is needed.

In this episode, the GCF's deputy executive director Henry Gonzalez details how the fund functions and what its priority areas are, from replenishment cycles to program readiness grants.


https://www.greenclimate.fund/

Episode 04 A Little Less Conversation, with Henry Gonzalez

Have you heard about sea grapes?
 
They're a form of edible seaweed found in parts of the Pacific. They're nutritious, particularly for maternal health, and delicious.
 
And they fetch a great price at market. They're sometimes even known as the next superfood.
 
What makes sea grapes particularly interesting to us is the sustainability element: growing them depends on the sustainable development of nearby mangroves.
 
And this is where Nature Based Solutions comes in. Nature based solutions present an effective way to handle the impact of climate change, such as planting mangroves or regenerating coral reefs.
 
In particular, it is something beneficial to women in affected communities.
 
For episode 5 of A Little Less Conversation, we speak with ActionAid Vanuatu Country Manager Flora Vano, and WWF Australia's Head of Social Development, Nat Burke.

A Little Less Conversation is a podcast series brought to you by @WWF Australia, @Australian Council For International Development and @Goodwill Hunters. It is hosted by @Rachel Mason Nunn, @Dermot O'Gorman and @Jessica Mackenzie.

 
Climate Resilient By Nature
https://www.climateresilientbynature.com/
 
More about sea grapes:
https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificmornings/pacific-sea-grapes/11881944

Episode 05 A Little Less Conversation, with Nat Burke and Flora Vano

Adaptation and mitigation are two terms commonly used in connection with how to approach responses to climate change: do we spend our energies trying to address the root causes of climate change, or do we work on strategies to help us adapt?
 
In this episode, Sala George Carter of the Australian National University and climate change activist Lisa Viliamu Jameson join us to discuss the twin approaches.
 
Torres Strait Islands Our Islands Our Home campaign: https://ourislandsourhome.com.au
 
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program https://www.sprep.org
 
CROP program - Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific https://www.forumsec.org/council-of-regional-organisations-of-the-pacific
 
Port Vila Declaration on human rights, good governance and sustainable development: https://hrsd.spc.int/node/821

Episode 06 A Little Less Conversation, with Sala George Carter and Lisa Viliamu Jameson

Climate change could be a political football, easily booted from agency to agency, if there was no true will to progress the agenda. It is true that climate falls under the remit of a number of government agencies – but thankfully, there is the will to ensure it is divided up carefully and with thought. Howard Bamsey, who has spent much of his career as a diplomat and in climate change, joins the podcast to tell Rachel and Dermot all about the architecture of climate governance.

Episode 07 A Little Less Conversation, with Howard Bamsey

In a short time in the federal Parliament, Senator David Pocock has made a name for himself as someone willing to speak out on the big issues on behalf of the people most affected. These include taking on the Government over fossil fuels, climate change and other issues including cost of living.
 
In this episode of A Little Less Conversation, Rachel and Dermot chat to Senator Pocock about his advocacy on climate change and his profound commitment to the Pacific, how his experiences through professional sport helped shape his worldview, and his own NGO, Rangelands Regeneration.
 
https://www.davidpocock.com.au/
Rangelands Regeneration https://rangelandsregeneration.org/
Young people Duty of Care bill https://adutyofcare.davidpocock.com.au/
Australia Institute speech https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/australia-must-lead-the-world-on-climate-integrity-senator-david-pocock/
Port vila call https://fossilfueltreaty.org/port-vila-call

Episode 08 A Little Less Conversation, with Senator David Pocock

Climate change is impacting society in a myriad of ways, yet some groups are experiencing these impacts disproportionately. In this episode we take a deep dive into gender, youth and elders in the Pacific; How are they experiencing climate change?  What are their priorities?  and What does effective climate leadership look like?
 
In this episode, we are joined by Carolyn Kitione, a youth leader and learning coordinator with Shifting the Power Coalition.
 
Shifting the Power Coalition - Shifting the Power Coalition - ActionAid Australia
Transcend Oceania - Transcend Oceania – There is no other way to peace Justpeace is the way   
Action Aid Vanuatu - ActionAid Vanuatu - ActionAid Australia
Australia Pacific Climate Partnership - Pacific regional – climate change and resilience | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)
Pacific Conference of Churches - Home - Pacific Conference of Churches

Episode 09 A Little Less Conversation, with Carolyn Kitione

This 10th and final episode of A little Less Conversation is one that is both reflective and future facing. If you’re looking to know more about the outcomes achieved at COP28, the architecture of the loss and damage fund and Australia’s climate finance ambitions and commitments more generally, you’ve come to the right place.
 
Jess Mackenzie chats with David Higgins, the branch head of international net zero pathways, within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
 
 Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water - Home - DCCEEW
Department of Foreign Affairs - Homepage | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)
Transitional Committee, UNFCCC - Transitional Committee | UNFCCC
World bank - World Bank Group - International Development, Poverty, & Sustainability
COP28 - COP28 UAE - United Nations Climate Change Conference
UNFCCC - UNFCCC
The Pacific Resilience Facility - PRF-Brochure.pdf (forumsec.org)
International Monetary Fund - International Monetary Fund - IMF
AOSIS: Alliance of Small island States - AOSIS – Alliance of Small Island States
South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) - Home | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)
Green Climate Fund (GCF) - Homepage | Green Climate Fund
International Development Association (IDA) - International Development Association - World Bank
The Pacific island Forum (PIF) - The Pacific Islands Forum – Pacific Islands Forum (forumsec.org)

Episode 10 A Little Less Conversation, with David Higgins

This discussion on Trade Disruptions and Instability in Fragile Border Areas, speaks with the program’s research partners to explore examples of disruptions in several different regions.

Peripheral Vision 02 - 2024 Mixdown2 ( - 19 LUFS)

Helen Clark sat down with Robin Davies on her March 2024 visit to the Australian National University to talk about whether governments and global institutions are ready to change the way they respond to pandemics.

Clark has had a long career in public service as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and co-chair of the Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

With this episode, we're relaunching our podcast after a more than two-year hiatus. In this new season, we'll bring you a mix of interviews, event recordings, and more in-depth documentary features relating to the topics we research at the Centre, namely Australia's overseas aid, development in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, and regional and global development issues.

You can also listen to a public lecture that Helen Clark delivered at the ANU by visiting our sister Crawford School of Public Policy podcast, Policy Forum Pod.

Helen Clark will return to Australia to address the 2024 World Health Summit Regional Meeting, which will be held in Melbourne from 22 to 24 April 2024.

Can the world’s governments agree on a better framework for pandemic response?

The Development Policy Centre is a think tank for aid and development policy based at Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University. We undertake independent research and promote practical initiatives to improve the effectiveness of Australian aid, to support the development of Papua New Guinea and the Pacific island region, and to contribute to better global development policy. 

Our events are a forum for the dissemination of findings and the exchange of new ideas. You can access audio recordings of our events through this podcast, as well as interviews from the Devpolicy Blog (www.devpolicy.org).

Can the world’s governments agree on a better framework for pandemic response?

Development Policy Centre

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