The Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM) have been officially finalized and operationalized during the 7th Meeting of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) in Manila, Philippines. This milestone marks a significant step in addressing the financial and operational challenges posed by climate-induced loss and damage. The BIM, initially launched at the FRLD’s Fifth Board Meeting in Barbados earlier this year, establishes the foundational framework for financing, operations, and disbursement processes in the fund’s first phase.
Senator Elizabeth Thompson, Barbados’ Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Climate Change, Small Island Developing States, and Law of the Sea, praised the board members for their unwavering commitment to the cause. She emphasized the collective effort that brought the BIM to fruition, stating, “Today is your day, and I thank you.”
Ambassador Thompson highlighted the profound impact of climate-induced loss and damage on vulnerable regions, where lives, livelihoods, and economies are pushed to the brink of disaster. She underscored the urgency of scaling up the fund to match the severity of damage caused by extreme weather events, citing the “apocalyptic” devastation of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica as a stark example.
While celebrating this milestone, Thompson reminded attendees of the ongoing struggles faced by frontline countries battling climate change. She called for sustained efforts to transform and improve lives, emphasizing that the suffering of these nations is not of their own making. The operationalization of the BIM represents a critical step toward addressing these challenges and fostering global resilience.