Following the hottest year ever recorded globally the need for action is “acute”, but this failure to act swiftly on an agreement at the COP climate summit in November to press ahead and deliver a working Loss and Damage Fund, initially hosted by the World Bank, “threatens to undermine the human rights of communities which desperately need resources to deal with the impacts of climate change”.

Ann Harrison, climate justice advisor at Amnesty International, said: “The full operationalisation of an adequately financed Loss and Damage Fund is potentially a matter of life or death for millions of people around the world facing the most severe consequences of global warming, such as droughts, floods, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, desertification and loss of livelihoods.

“Delays to the disbursement of funds at the scale needed threaten the rights of people most affected by the increasing weather extremes and environmental degradation caused by our heating climate.

“‘Developed’ countries pushed back last year against the concerns of human rights advocates about the World Bank’s involvement by arguing that the bank’s hosting of the fund would help ensure its more rapid operationalisation. These states got want they wanted, and yet are jeopardising progress.

“Communities on the frontline of the climate crisis should not have to wait as lives and ecosystems are lost while nations which have been the largest historic emitters of greenhouse gases squabble over board seats.”

She added: “The fact that only two women have so far been nominated to a 26-member board, despite a mandate for gender balance, is also alarming and should be remedied. Women are among those most susceptible to and worst affected by the climate crisis and should have far more equal representation in the governance of the fund.”

The fund’s board was due to hold its first meeting in January, but the continuing delay now threatens the entire 2024 timeline set out for the fund, including a June deadline for the World Bank to confirm its willingness to host it under conditions set at the last COP.