Written By: Denboy Kudejira (PhD)
How do we account for the impacts of climate change that cannot be easily measured or expressed in economic terms? This question was central to the second in-person meeting of the Unpacking Non-Economic Loss and Damage to Advance Science and Policy Action in Africa (UNELD-Africa) team, held at the University of Cape Town from 16 to 20 March 2026. As one of the African Synthesis Centre for Climate Change, Environment and Development (ASCEND) synthesis teams, UNELD-Africa is working to address critical knowledge gaps on non-economic losses and damages (NELDs) by synthesising existing literature to generate evidence of how NELDs manifest across different African regions and communities and assess their implications within three priority sectors – health, agriculture, and human mobility. Bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policy-engaged scholars across these sectors, the meeting marked a critical moment in the project’s trajectory: a shift from data collection toward deeper engagement with how to extract, analyse, and effectively communicate evidence from the data collected. At the heart of the deliberations was a shared challenge: how to systematically capture and interpret NELDs, an often overlooked but profoundly significant dimension of climate change impacts in Africa.
From Framing to Synthesis: Building a Shared Analytical Lens
A key outcome of the meeting was the reaffirmation and alignment of the project’s core research questions – how loss and damage manifest across Africa, who is most affected, how these impacts may evolve, and at what scales they are most significant. Building on this, the team reached a shared understanding of the analytical framework guiding the synthesis. Specifically, the project applies three complementary lenses:
Firstly, the lived values lens, which emphasises understanding what African communities truly value and aim to protect – insights that shape how loss and damage from climate change are perceived as intolerable, tolerable, or acceptable. Recognising that values vary across and within communities is essential for accurately assessing climate impacts.1 A values-based approach meets this need, offering a holistic view that bridges economic and non-economic losses, and helping policymakers design interventions that are both context-sensitive and grounded in the everyday realities of those most affected.
Secondly, the justice framing, which analyses who is affected by NELDs, how, and why. Applying this lens is crucial for both rigorous research and equitable policy action as it moves beyond technical measurement to address the ethical, distributive, and structural dimensions of climate impacts. NELDs are deeply embedded in social, cultural, and ecological relations that are not readily captured by market metrics yet are central to people’s well‑being and dignity. Without a justice perspective, assessments risk overlooking how historical inequalities and power imbalances shape who experiences climate-related harms most acutely and whose values count in decision-making, perpetuating existing injustices rather than addressing them. Integrating a justice lens into NELD analysis, therefore, enriches understanding of climate impacts and strengthens policy frameworks that aim for fairness, recognition, and meaningful participation in shaping climate responses.
Lastly, the policy and institutional framing concerns the assessment of the policy and institutional context in which losses and damages occur. Policies and institutions shape not only the recognition of different types of NELDs (cultural, social, psychological, and ecological), but also how affected communities can articulate their needs and access support. Incorporating the policy and institutional dimension into analysis thus ensures that NELD assessments are actionable and aligned with both local needs and national or international response mechanisms. By integrating these three lenses into a cohesive analytical framework, the UNELD-Africa project establishes a robust foundation for examining NELDs beyond conventional economic metrics, with focused attention on the social, cultural, and relational dimensions of human well-being.
Driving Collaborative Excellence: Learning, Alignment, and Momentum
Building on steady progress, the meeting created an energising and open space for collective reflection on the dynamics of large-scale, multi-country collaboration, anchored in a shared commitment to unpacking NELDs across Africa. While variations in participation among the team members were acknowledged, these were constructively embraced as opportunities to strengthen alignment and further refine the collective analytical lens. Drawing on diverse expertise and perspectives, participants co-developed practical strategies to strengthen coordination, including clearer allocation of responsibilities and regular check-ins. By harmonising approaches across the three priority research themes – agriculture, health, and mobility – the team reinforced methodological coherence while advancing a shared vision for generating rigorous, contextually grounded insights into the social, cultural, and relational dimensions of climate-related loss and damage in Africa.
Bridging Research and Impact: Engagement and Knowledge Brokering
A central outcome of the meeting was the agreement on a mixed-methods analytical framework that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques. This approach enables the project to address both descriptive and explanatory questions, from mapping the distribution of hazards and vulnerabilities to understanding how NELDs are experienced and interpreted by different groups. Importantly, the analysis moves beyond identifying impacts to interrogating patterns of exposure, vulnerability, and intersectionality. This reflects a deliberate effort to foreground issues of equity and justice, ensuring that the synthesis captures not only where and how loss occurs, but also for whom and under what conditions.
A distinctive feature of the meeting was its strong focus on public and policy engagement, translating directly into clear actions and priorities. A dedicated session facilitated by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) focused on knowledge brokering and communication strategies. Participants mapped key stakeholders, explored how different outputs could be tailored to specific audiences and defined practical approaches for integrating knowledge brokering into ongoing workstreams. These outcomes reinforced a central priority: ensuring that emerging evidence actively informs decision-making and action through effective engagement and communication. With CDKN’s support in strengthening visibility, co-developing communication products, and facilitating strategic outreach, the project is well-positioned to expand its influence across policy and practice.
Emerging Contributions: Driving Africa’s NELDs Agenda Forward
The UNELD-Africa project is rapidly deepening understanding of NELDs across the continent. By synthesising evidence across sectors and regions, the project clarifies the concept of NELD in African contexts, highlights underrepresented impacts, including cultural loss, psychosocial well-being, and mental health, strengthens the evidence base for climate policy and loss-and-damage mechanisms, and informs global debates, from UNFCCC discussions to IPCC assessments. These contributions fill a critical gap: capturing losses that are central to human well-being yet often overlooked in research and policy.
Looking ahead, the project is moving decisively from synthesis to action. The UNELD-Africa team has established clear, time-bound plans to translate evidence into actionable insights through journal publications, policy briefs, targeted stakeholder engagement, and strategic contributions to major international platforms. By transforming data into interpretive insights, the project illuminates the social, cultural, and relational dimensions of climate impacts, deepens understanding of NELDs, and supports inclusive, equitable climate responses across African communities.
