New funding window opens for SL's climate loss and damage

Sri Lanka has been presented with a fresh opportunity to access global support for climate-related loss and damage, as the newly operational Loss and Damage Fund opened its first call for funding, creating a formal pathway for vulnerable countries facing intensifying extreme weather events.

- By SHABIYA ALI AHLAM

Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage Deputy Executive Director Mathilde Laurans yesterday said the launch of the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM) marked a shift from negotiations to action. The Fund officially opened its first call for funding requests on 15 December 2025, beginning its startup phase.

“This milestone means that countries like Sri Lanka can now engage with us for support,” Laurans said, stressing that the Fund was designed with people at its centre, addressing both economic and non-economic loss and damage.

Virtually addressing a high-level climate finance forum, facilitated by SLYCAN Trust, in Colombo yesterday, she highlighted the importance of country-led, bottom-up approaches, noting that sustainable solutions must be shaped by national priorities.