The United Nations’ preparatory climate conference opened Monday in Nadi, Fiji, bringing Pacific island leaders to the forefront of global discussions on climate change. This “pre-COP” summit acts as a lead-up to the full UN climate conference, COP31, scheduled for next month in Türkiye.
The South Pacific region is among the most vulnerable worldwide to the effects of global warming, facing challenges such as rising sea levels that threaten homes and ecosystems, and escalating ocean temperatures that contribute to coral bleaching. The talks in Nadi, along with sessions on the low-lying atoll nation of Tuvalu, aim to underscore the urgent need for global action to address these impacts.
Pacific leaders are advocating for renewed commitments to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a target critical to reducing the worst effects of climate change in the region. They are also pressing for improved access to climate finance and greater recognition of ocean-related issues within the climate framework. Fiji’s climate minister, Lynda Tabuya, emphasized these points at the opening ceremony, noting that her prime minister will advocate for efforts to keep the 1.5-degree goal achievable, ensure climate funding reaches vulnerable communities, and elevate the ocean’s importance in climate policy discussions.
A recent United Nations report highlights that sea levels are rising at an unprecedented rate, driven by warming seas and glacier melt. It warns that up to 1.2 billion people globally could be displaced by 2050 due to climate impacts, with Pacific island nations experiencing sea level rise at roughly twice the global average. The report also underscores a significant financing gap: developing countries require between $310 billion and $365 billion annually for climate adaptation, yet only $26 billion was available in 2023.
Australia’s climate minister, Chris Bowen, who also serves as president of COP31 negotiations, expressed support for the pre-COP’s focus on incorporating the knowledge of those confronting climate change firsthand. “Today in Fiji, we are again calling on the world to match ambition with delivery,” he said.
Despite the regional emphasis, organizers have acknowledged that the summit’s attendance will fall short of expectations. Fewer than a dozen world leaders have confirmed their participation, and many local residents in Nadi remain unaware that the event is underway. Australia had previously announced that around 4,000 participants from 60 countries would attend, though detailed lists have not been released.
Among confirmed attendees is Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, representing a nation still grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods earlier this year that resulted in nearly 1,500 deaths and thousands missing across Nepal and China.
A highlight of the conference will be a one-day retreat in Tuvalu, where leaders will discuss strategies for populations at risk of displacement due to rising seas. The island’s capital, Funafuti, sits roughly two meters above sea level, and some coral atolls have already been largely submerged.
As the region faces these mounting threats, the pre-COP summit seeks to elevate the Pacific’s plight and forge commitments ahead of the larger global climate negotiations next month.