The adverse impact of climate change, both in its economic and non-economic effects, is the current reality, a stark reminder of the “injustice” our generation is facing.  Flooding, cyclones, sea level rise, drought, storms, desertification, and wildfires are a few of the extreme weather and slow-onset events that are becoming more severe and more intense each year. “Climate crisis” is the primary driver of these impacts. According to recent scientific reports, anthropogenic activities are the primary catalyst. 

Everyone, everywhere, is exposed; however, with varying levels of vulnerability, making those who contributed the least to climate change the ones bearing the most tremendous burden of its impacts, with the highest exposure to its effects.  “Loss and Damage” refers to the negative impacts of climate change that occur beyond mitigation and adaptation efforts, affecting both economic and non-economic sectors within the community. Since the establishment of the UN framework on climate change in 1992, “ action to address the adverse impact of climate change (i.e loss and damage) has been lagging in concrete progress, yet poses more profound challenges for frontline communities with additional burden for developing countries across the globe. 

Before 2020, progress on “loss and damage” was made in terms of the establishment of the mechanism to enhance the understanding, cooperation and action and support for approaches to address loss and damage (WIM), a dedicated article of loss and damage within the Paris Agreement are few of the key achievements within the process, however the biggest burden was the ability for developing countries to access the dedicated support for concrete action on ground to address the never failing burden of the later within their communities.  In 2020, youth from developed (global north) and developing countries (global south) came together for the establishment of the “loss and damage youth coalition” (LDYC) when the injustice of climate change became more threatening despite the global covid challenge, they felt the need to hold leaders accountable to address the climate-induced impacts though providing an active space for youth action, engagement and climate leaderships at the national, regional and international levels. The coalition also acknowledges that, despite everyone being exposed, the level of vulnerability varies, as the ability to take action depends on the additional burden that a community or country is facing. 

The LDYC’s mission is to build a borderless global partnership among youth to take action on loss and damage as we envision a world where the impacts of loss and damage are addressed equitably, with developed countries taking their responsibility for their outside contribution to the crisis, to honour the rights of a safer and healthier planet for the next generation.  One of the objectives of the coalition is to strategically advocate for the establishment and operationalisation of a new, additional, adequate, and predictable finance for addressing loss and damage while empowering youth and frontline communities to drive concrete action. 

In 2021, during the UNFCCC COP 26, the coalition presented its first set of COP demands and designed a 2-meter banner with the words “LossAndDamageFinanceNow!” The main goal was to establish a dedicated finance mechanism for loss and damage, where even young people can be recognised as active stakeholders in addressing loss and damage. The LossAndDamageFinanceNow! campaign is dedicated to bringing together youth, adults, CSOs, and everyone willing to support climate justice advocacy for the establishment of a new, additional, adequate, and accessible finance mechanism to address loss and damage for frontline communities, especially in the Global South.  Owing to being part of the active civic space in the elevation of the needs for equitable justice in addressing loss and damage, progress has been made, namely the establishment of the loss and damage fund, the operationalisation of the platform for developing countries and frontline communities to catalyse the technical support for the design of approaches to address loss and damage, the recognition of “loss and damage” as a separate item from adaptation within the evaluation of the achievement of the Paris Agreement, and the establishment of the loss and damage youth grant making council_ all of this was possible due to the elevation of the voice of the frontline communities (women, children, youth, margenelised communities) on the reality of the climate crisis so that their view, concerns and priorities are centered on the decision making table at the local, national and international level.  

In 2025, the coalition committed to revamping the campaign in light of the current position on “loss and damage” within the global diplomatic process.