Ninth Meeting of FRLD

https://www.frld.org/sites/default/files/Press%20Release_Post%20B.9%20co...

Manila, Philippines, 10 July 2026 – The ninth meeting of the Board of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), held from 8 to 10 July 2026 in Manila, marked another important milestone in operationalizing the Fund. During the meeting, the Board adopted a series of strategic decisions to further strengthen the Fund’s operational readiness, advance resource mobilization, reinforce institutional accountability, and prepare the way for the Fund’s first funding decisions. The Board expressed its sincere appreciation to the Government of the Philippines for its outstanding hospitality and excellent arrangements in hosting the meeting, recognizing the country’s continued leadership and commitment to advancing international cooperation on responding to climate-induced loss and damage. A central focus of the meeting was the outcome of the inaugural call for funding requests under the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM), the Fund’s startup phase.

The Board formally acknowledged the unprecedented response from developing countries: 119 countries had submitted 176 funding requests totalling approximately USD 2.8 billion in requested support. This overwhelming response sends a clear message: climate-related loss and damage is already causing significant economic and non-economic impacts in developing countries, and the demand for timely, predictable and accessible financial support is substantial. The Board expressed its deep appreciation to all countries that submitted funding requests, recognizing the extraordinary efforts undertaken by governments and their partners in preparing submissions within a relatively short timeframe.

“The response from developing countries clearly demonstrates both the urgency of the challenge and the strong commitment of countries to engage with the Fund,” said Board Co-Chairs Camila Minerva Rodríguez Tavárez and Georg Børsting. “We recognize and deeply appreciate the significant effort invested by countries in preparing these funding requests. This call has reinforced the importance of country ownership and country-led approaches in responding to loss and damage.” In view of the unprecedented number of funding requests received, the Board decided that additional time is required to undertake a comprehensive, rigorous and consistent assessment of the full portfolio of funding requests before considering them for approval at its tenth meeting, to be held in Manila in December 2026. This approach will enable the Secretariat to apply the Board’s guidance across all submissions and support the Board’s commitment to a fair, transparent and equitable review process, while ensuring that the Fund’s first funding decisions establish a strong foundation for future funding cycles.

“The Board remains committed to advancing the establishment of a strong foundation for the Fund’s operations and ensuring that funding decisions taken under the BIM reflect the unique mandate of the Fund as well as the diverse needs of countries in responding to climate-induced loss and damage.” Recognizing the exceptional demand for support, the Board decided to increase the allocation available under the BIM from USD 250 million to USD 342 million, enabling the Fund to support a greater number of developing countries. The commitment to direct at least 50 per cent of these resources to small island developing States and least developed countries remains.

Pledges to the Fund now exceed USD 820 million, reflecting strong international support for the Fund while also highlighting the significant financing gap that remains compared to the demonstrated demand. In this light, the Board also advanced stage 1 of the resource mobilization strategy, which aims to scale up the Fund’s resources to ensure the operational continuity of the BIM while the Fund is transitioning to its long-term operational model. Stage 1 of the resource mobilization strategy focuses on accelerating the conversion of existing pledges into signed contribution agreements, urging new contributions to the Fund, and strengthening the Fund’s strategic positioning, while laying the foundations for the Fund’s first replenishment process.

“This ninth meeting marks another important step in advancing the Fund from a newly established institution into one capable of delivering meaningful support to countries that need it most,” said Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, FRLD Executive Director. “The extraordinary response to our inaugural call for funding requests confirms both the scale of countries’ needs and the confidence they have placed in this institution. The Board’s decisions reaffirm our collective commitment to ensuring that support reaches countries while recognizing the scale of need that will remain unfunded unless additional funding is mobilized.” The Board also continued strengthening the institutional architecture of the FRLD, by approving the results measurement framework for the BIM, which will guide results monitoring, evaluation and learning across Fund-supported activities.

The Board further initiated the discussions towards launching the Country Support System, which will help strengthen national capacities and improve developing countries’ ability to access finance for responding to loss and damage. The Fund’s inaugural call for funding requests has generated valuable operational experience that will help strengthen future funding cycles. These lessons will continue to inform the refinement of the Fund’s policies, processes and operational modalities, ensuring that the FRLD becomes increasingly effective, accessible and responsive to the evolving needs of developing countries. Looking ahead, the Secretariat will continue working closely with the Board to complete the assessment of funding requests, implement the Board’s decisions, accelerate resource mobilization, and prepare for the Fund’s tenth Board meeting, where the Board is expected to consider the first funding decisions under the BIM.