In this bulletin:
1. UN— World held hostage by reliance on fossil fuels, Christiana Figueres warns – and climate health impacts are ‘mother of all injustices’
2. PACIFIC — New Zealand asks US to send fuel tankers to Pacific to alleviate pressure caused by Iran war
3. NZ — Winston Peters tells U.S secretary of state Marco Rubio of Iran war impact on NZ
4. PACIFIC — Tonga pushes for action on cybersecurity, warns small states being left behind
5. VAN — Prosecution reduces charges against Vanuatu MP Ngwele
6. FIJI/VAN — Vanuatu students urged to stay vigilant as Fiji HIV cases near 9000
7. PACNEWS BIZ — New World Bank support to strengthen disaster resilience and protect jobs in the Marshall Islands
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Pressure mounts on Fiji’s aged care system
9. PACNEWS DIGEST — Sea-level rise is a health crisis and we must hold polluters accountable
10. PACNEWS DIGEST — From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better
UN – FOSSIL FUEL: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS 3: Wed 08 Apr 2026
World held hostage by reliance on fossil fuels, Christiana Figueres warns – and climate health impacts are ‘mother of all injustices’
PARIS, 08 APRIL 2026 (THE GUARDIAN)—Countries are being “held hostage” by their reliance on fossil fuels, a former UN climate chief has warned, describing the health impacts of climate change as “the mother of all injustices”.
Christiana Figueres, an international climate negotiator who helped deliver the Paris agreement signed in 2016, made the comments as she was announced on Wednesday as co-chair of a Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequality.
Lancet Commissions are international collaborations that analyse major global health issues and influence policy. This commission will examine legal frameworks to hold countries accountable for the health harms of sea-level rise. It will report by September 2027.
While the timing of the announcement – amid the U.S-Israel war on Iran – is coincidental, Figueres said the fuel crisis was “dramatic proof” of the global dependence on fossil fuels that is driving geopolitical instability and the health impacts the commission will examine.
The commission comes after Pacific island health ministers called for greater global focus on sea-level rise as a health and justice issue, as well as an environmental challenge.
Rising seas contaminate drinking water, damage food supplies and force entire communities from their homes.
Sea-level rise is not uniform and is influenced by weather patterns, ocean currents and changes in gravity as ice sheets melt. The rise is larger in the oceans furthest from the ice sheets, and is higher than global averages in the Pacific. It means island nations including Tuvalu, Kiribati and Fiji may become uninhabitable within decades.
Many low-lying cities are also under threat, including New Orleans in the U.S, Cardiff and London in the UK, and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
In March, research published in the international science journal Nature found that ocean levels had been underestimated due to inaccurate modelling. In some areas of the global south, including south-east Asia and the Indo-Pacific, they may be 100cm to 150cm higher than previously thought.
“We in the climate community are very guilty of explaining things in way too esoteric terms, as though climate change were something that is not happening now,” Figueres said.
“So framing these issues in terms of health, in terms of dignity, in terms of livelihoods, in terms of identity and cultural continuity … provides a much better context to the challenge of reducing emissions, because we then understand that this really is about the human experience on this planet …
“Just from a health perspective, it is now affecting drinking water, it’s affecting sanitation, it’s affecting food security because of the salinisation of all of these lands that are ocean front.
“It is happening now, it is a crisis of health and it is the mother of all injustices.”
Figueres said the commission would consider the intergenerational trauma and inequity caused by displacement.
“Can you imagine the pain of having to leave the bones of ancestors and being displaced in order to be able to protect the future of children?” she said.
“That is a pain that is already being experienced in the Pacific islands. That is a pain that we cannot put in economic terms. The grief is huge.”
She said young people were “growing up understanding that they are in a world that is already ravaged by climate change”.
“How many of them don’t even want to have children because they’re so concerned about the conditions under which those children might have to grow up and live?”
The commission will consider how to hold some of the biggest polluters to account for the irreversible harm being caused to countries contributing the least to climate change. It will assess existing legal instruments, identify gaps in protections and consider new ways to safeguard health and uphold justice for suffering communities.
A landmark advisory opinion published in 2025 by the international court of justice (ICJ) found that countries have a legal obligation prevent harm to the climate, and that failing to do so could result in them paying compensation and making other forms of restitution.
Though non-binding, Figueres said the finding would boost the number of climate litigation cases and lead to groundbreaking claims.
“Just the fact that the ICJ came out with an unequivocal opinion is already a crucial first step in terms of legal consequences,” she said.
Vanuatu will in May lead a UN general assembly resolution to uphold the ICJ opinion, which if passed would help shape how the findings were implemented globally.
But UN experts have warned of attempts by some states to block the resolution from even being considered, and of growing resistance to explicit references to fossil fuels and legal responsibility for climate harm.
Figueres said legally binding agreements were not enough to tackle the health harms of the climate crisis, recalling how Canada exited the Kyoto agreement just before facing billions in penalties for failing to meet its emissions targets.
“They simply sent me a letter and said, ‘Madam executive secretary, hereby, Canada removes itself from the Kyoto protocol.’ So having a legally binding agreement does not guarantee at all that any country would comply.”
She said she believed change was more likely to come from a combination of legal pressure, scientific evidence and what she described as appealing to the “enlightened self-interest” of governments and corporations.
“That is why it is important to to lay bare the consequences of inaction,” Figueres said, adding: “Companies should understand for their business continuation, they should reduce emissions. Governments should understand that in order for them to stabilise their economy, and protect their people, they should reduce emissions.
“I just think that enlightened self-interest based on scientific facts – which is what the commission is going to put forward – is a much more effective route to emission reductions than a legally binding agreement from which anybody can withdraw,” she said……PACNEWS
PAC – IRAN CRISIS/FUEL PRICE: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS 3: Wed 08 Apr 2026
New Zealand asks U.S to send fuel tankers to Pacific to alleviate pressure caused by Iran war
WASHINGTON, 08 APRIL 2026 (THE GUARDIAN) —New Zealand has called on the U.S to send fuel tankers to the Pacific to help alleviate some of the significant economic and fuel pressure caused by the war in the Middle East.
Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, met the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in Washington on Tuesday, where they discussed bilateral relations, the war in Iran and the Pacific.
After the meeting, Peters said he had made sure the US understood the “significant economic impacts on New Zealand and Pacific arising from the war”.
“Not just the New Zealand economy, but to the Pacific economies that we have so much responsibility for,” Peters told the national broadcaster RNZ. “We left all that very clearly in their mind as concerns we had.”
They had had a “serious discussion” over how the US might help, Peters said, including asking the US to “get some ancillary tankers ready and get them to New Zealand to spread it around the Pacific as fast as we possibly can”.
He said: “We asked them: don’t leave it to when it happens, get ready just in case it’s going to happen. We had a very positive discussion on that basis.”
Pacific nations are especially vulnerable to fuel supply disruptions and rising costs due to their reliance on imported fuel.
In March, Pacific leaders appealed to foreign partners for help with oil supplies. The Samoan prime minister, La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, asked New Zealand if it was possible to divert fuel to the Island nation in case of crisis, while the Tongan prime minister, Lord Fakafanua, said New Zealand and Australia were sharing intelligence to help his country prepare for shortages.
Following Peters’ and Rubio’s meeting, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, canceling an ultimatum from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender or face widespread destruction.
Peters refused to comment on the U.S president’s threat to annihilate the entirety of Iranian civilisation should Iran’s government ignore his deadline to reopen the strait of Hormuz. “I don’t make comments on what presidents and prime ministers say … It’s time for cool heads and not make a rush to judgment we will regret.”
New Zealand’s relationship with the US was “excellent”, Peters said, but when asked if the two nations were close friends, he laughed. “Respectful understandings amongst each other is more important, and we’ve got that.”….PACNEWS
NZ – DIPLOMACY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 3: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Winston Peters tells US secretary of state Marco Rubio of Iran war impact on NZ
WASHINGTON, 08 APRIL 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC)—New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says it’s time for “cool heads” as the US President escalates his rhetoric on attacking Iran.
Peters met U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday morning in Washington DC, where he expressed New Zealand’s desire to see dialogue and de-escalation over Iran.
He told his counterpart about the significant negative economic impacts the conflict was having on New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours.
Rubio outlined U.S progress towards ending the war.
Peters told RNZ he was given details by the U.S Secretary of State about work being done and conditions required for peace to break out, but indicated it would be premature to jump to any conclusion about how soon the war might end.
He said the pair had a “serious discussion” on how the U.S might help the Pacific in regards to fuel supply.
On the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, they both stressed the importance countries around the world attached to international law in regards to freedom of navigation.
The meeting took place just hours after U.S President Donald Trump posted that” a whole civilisation will die” in Iran if the country does not heed his cutoff time to open the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran reported U.S-Israeli attacks on its infrastructure were already under way.
Speaking to Morning Report after the meeting, Peters said it would be wise for New Zealand to wait out the “timeline that has yet to be met.”
In the meantime, he said, he was there to make sure the U.S understood the cost to New Zealand and the Pacific in terms of the economy and fuel supplies.
“We left all that very clearly in their mind as concerns we had,” Peters told RNZ. He said he came to ensure New Zealand’s long term and immediate interests were looked after.
“We had a serious discussion about how they might help, how it might get some ancillary tankers ready and get them to New Zealand to spread it around the Pacific as fast as we possibly can,” said Peters.
He said the U.S gave “a very positive indication” it could support Pacific nations with access to additional fuel supplies if necessary.
He would not be drawn on Trump’s comments “which are not part of the conversation I was in.”
“People say a lot of things, in time we’ll see whether these things are relevant or correct.”
Asked to reassure New Zealanders who might be alarmed at the U.S president’s remarks, Peters said people would continue to be alarmed if “people keep on heightening the effect of a comment like that.”
He said there had been numerous comments in the past that have “changed dramatically” within one or 24 hours.
“So it’s time to be experienced. It’s time for cool heads and to not make a rush to judgment that we will regret. That’s what’s important now.”
Peters said there were no discussions of potential involvement by New Zealand in a maritime fleet to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and that it wasn’t for him to determine what New Zealand would do.
“But the illegality of what’s happening there can’t go on, that’s what we do accept.”
Before the trip, which came at Rubio’s invitiation, Peters said the current global context was the most challenging New Zealand had faced in the past 80 years.
Waikato University Professor Al Gillespie also told RNZ ahead of the meeting that Peters would be trying improve a relationship with the US that had been challenged in recent times, “because of the unpredictability” of the US President. But he also acknowledged the countries were good friends.
During the meeting, Rubio and Peters also discussed the longstanding relationship between the U.S and New Zealand, including on defence and security and trade and economic matters. They talked about the issue of tariffs and continued discussions on critical minerals cooperation.
Peters later said no final agreements was reached in regards to critical minerals, but he told Rubio New Zealand was a “critical minerals wealthy country” and that work was ongoing.
Peters pointed to the Pacific Islands Forum next year, which New Zealand’s is hosting, and invited Rubio to attend. He encouraged the US to continue playing a fulsome role in the region.
They discussed matters in the Pacific, including energy supply chain issues and transnational organised crime. They also discussed shared strategic interests of the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Ahead of the meeting, Rubio was asked for a message to other nations like New Zealand impacted by the war.
He responded by saying the whole world had been impacted “unfortunately” because Iran was violating “every law known” by striking commercial vessels in the Straits of Hormuz, “and it’s a big problem for the world.”
Peters also met with Rubio early last year, ahead of the Liberation Day tariffs. After that meeting, Peters said the pair had made “serious arrangements” to keep dialogue going in a meaningful way.
On Wednesday, Peters described his relationship with Rubio, and Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau, as “excellent.”
“It’s born of the fact that we’re dealing with serious issues where they’ve got a huge interest in it as well, and they happen to respect a country called New Zealand when it comes to the Pacific and our influence in it,” he said…PACNEWS
PAC – CYBER SECURITY: KANIVA TONGA NEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Tonga pushes for action on cybersecurity, warns small states being left behind
NEW YORK, 08 APRIL 2026 (KANIVA TONGA NEWS)—Tonga has called for a shift from talk to action on global cybersecurity, warning that small island nations risk being sidelined unless frameworks deliver practical support tailored to their needs.
Viliami Vaʻinga Tōnē delivers Tonga’s national statement on cybersecurity at the United Nations, calling for more inclusive and action-oriented global frameworks to support small island states.
In a statement delivered at the United Nations, Tonga’s Permanent Representative, Viliami Vaʻinga Tōnē, urged the development of a more inclusive and implementation-focused global cybersecurity system—one that reflects the realities faced by small island developing states (SIDS).
Speaking during discussions on international security and information and communications technologies, Ambassador Tōnē said cybersecurity was no longer a technical issue alone but a core pillar of economic resilience, digital inclusion, and national security for Tonga.
He stressed that while global mechanisms exist, they often remain overly procedural and disconnected from on-the-ground needs. For countries like Tonga, with limited resources and growing digital exposure, the gap between policy and practice continues to widen.
“Tonga brings practical experience in resilience, regional cooperation, and operating under significant resource constraints,” he said, calling for systems that enable full and effective participation by smaller nations.
A central concern raised by Tonga is the lack of structured, accessible support to help countries build their cybersecurity capacity. As digital services expand across government, finance, and critical infrastructure, exposure to cyber threats is increasing—yet many small states lack the tools and expertise to respond effectively.
Tōnē outlined the need for targeted capacity-building efforts built around prevention, detection, and response, allowing countries to identify gaps and direct support where it is most needed.
He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that global cybersecurity frameworks produce practical outcomes, particularly through dedicated thematic groups that can address country-specific challenges rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions.
On legal matters, Tonga reaffirmed that international cybersecurity discussions should remain grounded in existing legal frameworks, including the UN Charter, to avoid duplication and ensure coherence across global efforts.
The statement comes amid growing concern among Pacific nations about their vulnerability to cyber threats as digital transformation accelerates without matching investment in security infrastructure.
Tonga reiterated its commitment to constructive engagement in shaping global cybersecurity policy—but made clear that for small island states, the priority is no longer dialogue, but delivery….PACNEWS
VAN – COURTS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 3: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Prosecution reduces charges against Vanuatu MP Ngwele
PORT VILA, 08 APRIL 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) —Vanuatu Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek has adjourned the plea of the Deputy leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ambae constituency, Jay Ngwele, over allegations of misappropriating VT1 million (US$8,318) in public funds Tuesday.
The court also heard that the Office of the Public Prosecutor (OPP) has reduced the charges against the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Ngwele, one of the defendants in the case, told the Daily Post that the original charges against him were 57 altogether, but the OPP reduced them to 15 charges.
He is expected back in court on 27 April to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty for the 15 remaining charges.
Ngwele, who was Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities in 2022, is charged alongside former Public Works Director Malcolm Tarileo, with misappropriating government imprest during their official visit to Dubai.
Following their court appearance, the Chair of Women Against Crime and Corruption (WACC), Jenny Ligo, raised serious concerns regarding the allegations against them.
Ligo said the two individuals face charges of misappropriating VT1 million (US$8,318) in government imprest funds. She described the case as “very interesting,” saying it highlights broader issues within the government’s financial accountability system.
She questioned how many senior officials in the Public Service have failed to properly acquit their imprest accounts, yet continue to operate without consequence.
“If many government officials are part of the same system, why punish only these two for one million vatu? Where are the others? Are they also accountable under the Leadership Code?” Ligo asked.
Ligo further emphasised that the system appears to enable corruption by allowing large sums of imprest funds to be allocated to ministers, director generals, directors, and senior officers without adequate enforcement of accountability measures.
“Years ago, the Ministry of Finance reported that outstanding imprests not acquitted total more than VT200 million(US$1.6 million). This raises serious questions about whether the government system is truly honest, or whether it is simply covering up failures,” she added.
Ligo stressed that selective accountability undermines public trust and perpetuates mismanagement…..PACNWES
VAN/FIJI – HEALTH: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 3: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Vanuatu students urged to stay vigilant as Fiji HIV cases near 9000
PORT VILA/SUVA, 08 APRIL 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST)—Health officials are urging Vanuatu students studying in Fiji to remain cautious and avoid high-risk behaviour as HIV cases in Fiji rise to an estimated 9000 this year.
Dr Minado Paul says the increase is concerning, but students can protect themselves by making informed choices.
“Well, we are talking about an educated group… these are university and tertiary level students,” she said. “There’s only so much we can do. It depends on what risky behaviours they engage in.”
“If they are there just for education and avoid intravenous drug use, they may be protected,” she added.
Dr Paul said the rise in cases in Fiji is largely driven by intravenous drug use, including a dangerous practice known as bluetoothing, where blood is transferred directly from one person to another.
“I think what’s driving the epidemic in Fiji now is illicit IV drug use. That’s really the main factor,” she said.
“There’s a practise called bluetoothing… the transmission is higher because blood from one person is injected directly into another.”
She warned that even a small number of individuals engaging in such practices could contribute to wider transmission.
“You just need a few from the group engaging in that… and it can spread sexually as well,” Dr Paul said.
Despite the rising numbers, she reassured students that HIV is not easily transmitted through casual contact and is harder to contract than some other infections.
“Let me tell you, HIV is a difficult infection to get… it’s quite hard to contract through normal heterosexual sexual contact,” she said.
However, she cautioned that the virus remains a real threat across the Pacific.
“HIV is here to stay… it has caused havoc in PNG and it can happen elsewhere,” she said, noting that Vanuatu has also seen a gradual increase in cases in recent years.
“Yeah, we are seeing increasing numbers… not a lot, not exponential,” she added.
Dr Paul said testing and early treatment are key to controlling the spread.
“What we are pushing now is for everybody to know their status,” she said. “If there is a risk, go get tested. Three months after potential exposure, testing can lead to treatment that allows a normal life.”
She also confirmed that awareness sessions were held earlier this year before students left for Fiji.
“We conducted awareness sessions with students, just over 10 of them, in the Ministry of Education conference room. So yes, there has been training before departure,” she said.
Health authorities say the message is clear- avoid high-risk behaviour, stay informed, and make use of available health services while studying abroad…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
MARSH – BANK SUPPORT: WORLD BANK PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 08 Apr 2026
New World Bank support to strengthen disaster resilience and protect jobs in the Marshall Islands
MAJURO, 08 APRIL 2026 (WORLD BANK)—— Communities in the Republic of the Marshall Islands will be better protected from climate and disaster risks through new World Bank support to strengthen urban resilience, safeguard livelihoods, and support jobs in Majuro, the country’s capital and main economic centre.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is one of the world’s most exposed countries to the impacts of climate change and natural hazards. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, droughts, and extreme weather events are increasing risks to urban areas, infrastructure, and economic activity. These risks are most pronounced in Majuro, where the largest share of the population, government functions, and economic opportunities are concentrated.
The additional financing for the RMI Urban Resilience Project will scale up urban resilience investments in public buildings and spaces, strengthen national disaster preparedness and response systems, and build institutional capacity for risk-informed urban planning. It will also expand support for building code implementation and deliver resilient, multi-purpose emergency management facilities to improve coordination and response during disasters.
“This additional financing allows us to protect and expand critical investments that are essential for safeguarding our communities, infrastructure, and public services against climate and disaster risks,” said Thomas Heine, Minister of Public Works, Infrastructure and Utilities. “By strengthening coastal protection, public facilities, and emergency preparedness, we are investing in a safer and more resilient future for the Marshall Islands.”
A significant share of the support will focus on Majuro, where risks are most acute. Investments will reduce exposure to coastal flooding, strengthen the resilience of public infrastructure, and ensure emergency facilities can support coordinated responses and maintain essential services during disasters.
The project will also support local jobs and economic activity through civil works, while strengthening the systems needed for long-term growth, including urban planning and building standards. By reducing the impact of disasters, these investments help protect businesses, incomes, and opportunities.
“Urban resilience is essential for protecting lives, sustaining jobs, and supporting economic opportunity in the Marshall Islands,” said Omar Lyasse, World Bank Resident Representative for the North Pacific.
“This additional financing builds on strong progress and will help communities, businesses, and government better manage climate and disaster risks.”
“These investments will help ensure that our urban areas can continue to function during crises—supporting public safety, mobility, and economic activity while also improving the quality and resilience of public spaces for our communities,” said Bremity Lakjohn, Minister-in-Assistance to the President and Environment.
Preparation of the World Bank’s additional financing was supported by the Africa Caribbean Pacific-European Union Disaster Risk Management Programme, and the Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries, both managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery…PACNEWS
FIJI – AGED CARE: FBC NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Pressure mounts on Fiji’s aged care system
SUVA, 08 APRIL 2026 (FBC NEWS)—Calls are growing for improved support systems for the elderly in Fiji, as existing aged care services come under pressure and many senior citizens are left without adequate care.
The Nasinu District Council for Older Persons says the shortage of facilities is becoming increasingly concerning, particularly along the Suva–Nausori corridor.
Chair Randhir Prasad says the Golden Age Home in Samabula is struggling to cope with demand, while there are no other aged care homes in the surrounding area.
He warns that without new facilities, many elderly Fijians risk isolation and limited access to essential care and support services.
“So I request that this issue be looked into. I have submitted my recommendations to the National Aging Policy Review with the Ministry for Social Welfare and also with the Ministry for Multiethnic Affairs.”
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel says government continues to provide a range of support measures, including assistance with medical needs and pension options for retirees.
He says some cases of vulnerability are linked to early withdrawal of pension funds, which can leave individuals without long-term financial security.
However, advocates say more targeted outreach and expanded aged care services are urgently needed to address the growing demand.
They warn that without stronger investment in infrastructure and community-based support, many elderly Fijians will continue to face gaps in care and assistance……PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Sea-level rise is a health crisis and we must hold polluters accountable
Opinion by Christiana Figueres
PARIS, 08 APRIL 2026 (THE GUARDIAN) —There are moments in history when a crisis long treated as distant reveals itself to be intimate, immediate and profoundly human. Sea-level rise is one of those moments.
For years it has been discussed in the abstract language of centimetres, coastal infrastructure and future projections. This can make it seem like a technical challenge – something for engineers and planners to grapple with. But rising seas are already damaging bodies, minds, livelihoods and cultures. Sea-level rise is a present-day health crisis.
When saltwater intrudes into freshwater supplies, health suffers. When floods overwhelm sanitation systems, diseases spread. When farmland is inundated by king tides, nutrition deteriorates. And when people are forced to contemplate leaving the land of their ancestors, they face a painful mix of physical, financial, emotional, cultural and spiritual harm.
The effect of sea-level rise on property lines and insurance procurement is clear. But what is being lost goes far deeper – it’s safety, dignity, continuity and belonging. Across low-lying coastal regions and small island states, including throughout the Pacific, communities are living with this reality today. For Indigenous peoples especially, land is identity, memory, law, kinship, sustenance today and connection to a shared future.
Those facing the earliest and harshest consequences are, overwhelmingly, those who did the least to create them. Today sea levels are now rising rapidly in a world already shaped by inequality, colonialism and economic exclusion. We cannot allow those unjust legacies to deepen on our watch.
I’m encouraged therefore that we are beginning to name this crisis and its interconnections more clearly. The Lancet Commission on Sea-Level Rise, Health and Justice, newly announced, is bringing together expertise across disciplines and regions, and supported by the World Health Organisation Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health, to show how health, justice and climate impacts are inseparable. The rigour in their planned research will help us see what has too often been ignored – and what governments, communities and institutions can do in response.
The commission’s focus reminds me of conversations I had in Vanuatu with the climate activist and youth leader Litiana Kalsrap. Coastal erosion and sea-level rise are a huge threat in Vanuatu. Despite funding cuts, Kalsrap remains determined to inform the community about what’s happening, and to lead mangrove- and grass-planting efforts to help stabilise the land.
I found her dedication and spirit in the face of this threat truly inspirational. I saw that through her efforts something that began as a rehabilitation project for a specific area had become much bigger: it was a source of personal resilience, community building and connection.
Others from Vanuatu took a different approach – going directly to the international court of justice, the highest court of the world. After their request, made together with 129 other nation states, last June the court handed down the most far-reaching legal statement ever made on the responsibility of states to protect the rights of current and future generations to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
That advisory opinion is the clearest legal affirmation to date that cooperation among states to address climate change – the main driver of sea-level rise – is a binding obligation. It was unanimous and stated clearly: expanding fossil fuels may constitute a wrongful act.
The seas may be rising in part because too many of our political and economic systems remain organised around extraction without accountability, but things are changing. The ICJ advisory opinion is one critical milestone towards that change. So is every single local community action taken. The extraordinary shift towards renewable energy with storage and electrification in the energy transition is further proof that we are entering a completely different era.
Holding polluters to account in a global economy still addicted to fossil fuels, still willing to privatise profit while socialising harm, is no easy task, but the people I know working to make a difference don’t take on tasks like this because they are easy. They do so because they know what’s at stake. They accept it’s hard and continue anyway. Their courage, just like Kalsrap’s and that of the law students who went to the ICJ, seems to me to be one of the defining characteristics of this decisive decade.
We don’t have to treat sea-level rise as a regrettable side-effect of business as usual, managing its human consequences while preserving the systems that drive it. There is a different way: one that recognises health, justice and climate stability are inseparable, and accountability is not optional. It might not always make headlines but that recognition is there, growing quietly and decisively, building in strength and resilience. And just like sea-level rise, it is beginning to reveal itself to be intimate, immediate and profoundly human. …PACNEWS
Christiana Figueres was the head of the UN climate change convention from 2010 to 2016. She is co-founder of Global Optimism, and co-host of the climate podcast Outrage + Optimism
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better
NEWW YORK, 08 APRIL 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —For 25 years, the world has made significant progress in advancing women’s right to health, particularly in sexual and reproductive care. Women are living longer than ever before – but they are not living better.
Across the world, UN data shows, women are still less likely to be taken seriously, accurately diagnosed, or appropriately treated. From misdiagnosis to entrenched medical bias, gaps in healthcare systems continue to affect women’s health, safety and quality of life.
Although healthcare is a fundamental human right, it’s still not guaranteed for all – and inequality persists in one of the most critical areas of everyday life.
Women are more likely to have their pain dismissed, their symptoms misread and their conditions diagnosed too late. According to gender equality agency, UN Women, this reflects a “medical system historically designed without women in mind”.
From the tools used in examinations to the data that shapes diagnosis and treatment, these gaps are embedded in healthcare systems, with real consequences.
What the data shows
There has been measurable progress, says UN Women. Between 2000 and 2023, maternal mortality declined by 40 percent, from 328 to 197 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Adolescent fertility rates fell from 66.3 to 38.3 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 between 2000 and 2024. Skilled birth attendance rose from 60.9 to 86.6 percent, and the proportion of women using modern family planning methods increased from 73.7 to 77.1 percent.
Yet these gains are uneven. In the least developed countries, adolescent births increased from 4.7 million in 2000 to 5.6 million in 2024.
Women are also living longer than men – 3.8 years compared to 68.4 – but they spend more years in poor health. In 2021, women spent an average of 10.9 years in poor health, compared to 8.0 years for men.
This includes chronic conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, gynaecological diseases, migraines and depression.
From misdiagnosis to medical bias, women are still less likely to be taken seriously, diagnosed or treated.
Six uncomfortable truths
1. Outdated tools remain in use
The speculum, widely used in pelvic examinations, has changed little since its design in the 19th century. Despite advances in medicine, many diagnostic tools have not evolved to prioritise women’s comfort, dignity and safety.
Efforts to redesign such tools are emerging, particularly through women-led innovation, but adoption across public healthcare systems remains limited.
2. Longer lives, poorer health
Although women live longer, they spend a greater proportion of their lives in poor health; around 25 per cent more than men.
This often means prolonged experiences of chronic pain, fatigue and untreated conditions, alongside higher rates of misdiagnosis.
3. Research and funding gaps persist
Conditions affecting women are often under-researched and underfunded. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which affects a majority of women and girls, receives comparatively less attention than conditions such as erectile dysfunction.
For decades this imbalance has shaped how women’s pain is understood, or misunderstood, dismissed, and too often normalised and left unaddressed.
Policy changes are emerging. In 2023, Spain introduced paid menstrual leave, joining several countries including Japan, Indonesia and Zambia. However, stigma and limited awareness continue to affect uptake.
4. Delayed diagnosis is common
Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women and girls globally – approximately 190 million people. Yet diagnosis can take between four and 12 years.
Delays reflect a broader pattern in which women’s pain is normalised or dismissed, resulting in prolonged suffering and late treatment.
5. Historical exclusion from research
Until 1993, women were largely excluded from clinical trials. As a result, many treatments were developed based on male biology.
This has had lasting effects. Women are more likely to experience adverse drug reactions, and symptoms can be misinterpreted. Conditions that primarily affect women, including autoimmune diseases, remain under-researched.
Gaps persist today, including in emerging technologies such as AI, where datasets may still underrepresent women.
Recent research has highlighted the importance of integrating sex and gender into clinical studies – including during the COVID-19 response – to ensure that treatments are safe and effective for everyone.
Another issue is that women are underrepresented in healthcare leadership. This matters because female doctors and leaders often prioritize patient-centred care, evidence-based practices, and policies that improve women’s health outcomes.
6. Symptoms that don’t match the model
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. However, widely recognised symptoms are based largely on male patterns.
Women may experience different warning signs, including fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath and pain in the jaw or back. These differences can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, increasing the risk of death.
Because the signs are less recognised, women are in some cases sent home instead of treated.
The way forward
Addressing these disparities requires healthcare systems that reflect women’s realities. This includes more inclusive research, better data, improved diagnostic tools and greater recognition of women’s symptoms and experiences.
Strengthening leadership by women is also critical. Evidence shows that greater inclusion can improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality rates….PACNEWS
