Centring local values in assessing and addressing climate-related losses and damages

There is a limited understanding of the intangible and subjective losses and damages from climate change people experience and how to address them. Fortunately, the number of studies explicitly focusing on ‘non-economic’ losses and damages is growing. However, these assessments are commonly shaped by top-down, standardised conceptualisations, resulting in incomplete depictions insensitive to local contexts.

Therefore, we developed a loss and damage assessment methodology based on locally identified values, which we applied in Durgapur Upazila to assess and find ways to address the losses and damages people in north-central Bangladesh face from multiple climate-related hazards.