In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — COP31 President pushes for climate finance and action as Pacific warns of existential threat
2. PACIFIC — Pacific moves from climate warnings to action ahead of COP31
3. PACIFIC — 1.5°C overshoot inevitable, action must limit the damage : UN Climate Chief
4. PACIFIC — Azerbaijan support stronger climate action for Pacific SIDS
5. PACIFIC — PSIDS have shown the way on climate finance: Barbados Economic Affairs Minister
6. PACIFIC — India offers Pacific climate expertise, calls for equity at COP31
7. PACIFIC — UAE calls for climate finance to move from promises to implementation
8. PACIFIC — Climate action must move from ambition to implementation: Indonesia
9. PACIFIC — Pacific flotilla tells pre-cop31 leaders: ‘Keep 1.5°C alive’
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji takes action on Suva harbour cleanup as it hosts Pre-COP
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Vuda Point EIA appeal delayed as TNG seeks internal documents
12. PACNEWS BIZ — CSIRO to partner with pharmaceutical giant for research
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — WHO releases first global guidelines on child obesity as cases surge
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Reform, or lose trust: Governments press the UN to reflect the world as it is
PAC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
COP31 President pushes for climate finance and action as Pacific warns of existential threat
By Sanjeshni Kumar
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—COP31 President Murat Kurum says the climate crisis facing Pacific island countries requires stronger international action, with climate finance, implementation and the survival of vulnerable states expected to remain central issues at the November climate summit in Türkiye.
Speaking at the Pre-COP Ministerial press briefing in Nadi today, Kurum said the decision to hold the Pre-COP in the Pacific was intended to put the region’s concerns at the centre of the COP31 process.
“The Pacific is the front line of the climate crisis,” he said.
Kurum said his visit to Tuvalu had demonstrated the reality of the threat facing small island states, which he said had made little or no contribution to the climate crisis.
“Tuvalu has made no contribution in this crisis, but unfortunately, they are faced with… an existential crisis and they’re paying the heaviest price,” he said.
He said the international community could not continue to delay action, warning that the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree Celsius temperature goal was increasingly at risk.
“The 1.5 degree goal… is a matter of survival,” Kurum said, describing it as a question of protecting “cultures, history, memories, your homeland, your homes.”
Kurum said the message from the Pre-COP could be summed up under five headings: urgency, implementation, solutions, financing and unity.
He placed particular emphasis on climate finance, saying funding must reach countries most affected by climate change without lengthy processes and bureaucracy.
“Justice in climate finance is essential,” he said. “Resources must reach those in need in a timely and an accessible manner, not through a lot of red tape.”
He said the burden of climate action could not continue to fall on small island developing states and least developed countries.
“That’s why the cost should not be paid by SIDS or LDCs,” Kurum said.
Kurum also highlighted US$1.5 billion in climate finance, saying, “1.5 billion US dollars for 1.5 degrees will save the Pacific.”
“Life will continue in Tuvalu. Children will be smiling again,” he said.
The COP31 president also signalled that Türkiye wants the November summit to focus less on new promises and more on delivering existing climate commitments.
“We have always been saying that it is enough to talk, it is enough to make promises,” Kurum said.
He said Türkiye was approaching COP31 as an “implementation COP”, with a focus on putting the Paris Agreement into practice.
Among the areas he identified for action were electrification, methane reduction and zero waste.
Kurum also said the COP31 presidency wanted to begin early consultations with countries on a political COP31 decision text covering mitigation, adaptation, finance and implementation.
He said the text should be inclusive, transparent, party-driven and presidency-led, while providing a common political direction for implementing existing commitments.
He stressed that any such outcome would not replace the formal negotiating tracks or create new obligations or commitments, but would instead provide political coherence between the different elements of COP31.
Kurum said the process would be shaped through early and inclusive consultations with countries rather than through a predetermined outcome.
“There won’t be any surprise decisions in COP31,” he said.
He also stressed that countries would need to take responsibility for delivering climate action rather than relying solely on the COP presidency to drive progress.
“At the end of the day, what we need to do is that we definitely need to take upon the responsibility and pull our weight,” Kurum said.
Kurum said Türkiye, Australia and Pacific countries had taken on different leadership roles in the COP31 process, with Türkiye presiding over the summit, Australia leading the negotiations and the Pacific helping to shape the process through the Pre-COP.
He said the role of the presidency was to listen to all parties and work towards consensus.
“We will leave no one behind in this process,” he said.
Kurum said unity would be essential to maintaining progress despite wider political tensions.
“Dialogue, consensus, and action,” he said, adding that the Pacific had reminded the world that “our strength comes from our unity.”
Kurum drew a direct comparison between global defence spending and the threat climate change poses to Pacific island nations.
Referring to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries’ decision to increase defence investment, he questioned whether the world was showing the same level of urgency towards countries facing climate-driven threats to their existence.
“Tuvalu is going away,” he said. “What does it mean to spend 5 percent for defence? If you don’t have a country to live on, what does it mean to defend it?”
Kurum said the same level of political determination being applied to security issues was needed for climate action.
“We expect each and every country to show in climate action as well,” he said.
Kurum said there would be “no turning back” on the climate path despite the political and economic challenges facing countries.
“We will not take a step backwards because we still believe that a more just world is possible,” he said.
COP31 will be held in Antalya from 9 to 20 November, where Kurum said the expectations and concerns raised in the Pacific would be carried into the negotiations.
He said the goal was to deliver a clear, balanced and implementation-oriented outcome, while ensuring that the voice of the Pacific is heard strongly in Antalya…..PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
Pacific moves from climate warnings to action ahead of COP31
By Sanjeshni Kumar
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific countries are heading to the UN climate talks in Türkiye with a stronger push for climate finance, ocean protection and action to keep the 1.5°C target alive, following a week of negotiations in Fiji.
Fiji’s Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, said the Pre-COP meeting in Nadi had helped turn Pacific priorities into concrete commitments, including millions of dollars for climate resilience, renewable energy and infrastructure.
“The Pacific is no longer just raising the alarm. We are leading the global response to climate change,” Tabuya said at a ministerial press briefing in Nadi.
The meeting brought together governments, youth leaders, civil society, women’s groups and other stakeholders, who Tabuya said worked together to turn Pacific priorities into action.
One of the key commitments announced by Fiji is US$10 million for the Pacific Resilience Facility, which Tabuya said would provide grants directly to communities for projects such as seawalls, securing clean water and protecting homes before disasters strike.
Papua New Guinea has also committed 25 million kina (US$5.6 million) to support Tuvalu’s land reclamation work.
Australia announced a AUD$7.29 million (US$5.1 million) renewable energy package for the Pacific, including support for Vanuatu’s transition to renewable energy, as well as another AUD$3 million (US$2.1 million) to protect existing infrastructure in the Pacific.
For Fiji, the meeting also marked progress on its plans to tap international climate finance through carbon markets.
Tabuya said Fiji’s new five-year costed carbon market plan would open new sources of international climate finance for renewable energy and the protection of natural ecosystems.
“Our resource owners have been asking this of us for many years. Finally, it is happening,” she said.
Fiji also announced its National Action Plan for Coral Reef Conservation 2026–2032, aimed at bringing the country’s climate-resilient reefs under sustainable management.
The push for stronger international recognition of oceans is another priority heading to COP31.
Tabuya said the Pacific wants the ocean agenda integrated more firmly into the United Nations framework, arguing that the ocean must have “its rightful place” in the climate agenda.
The issue was highlighted during a visit to Tuvalu earlier in the week, where ministers and media saw the impacts of rising sea levels.
“There on the atoll, surrounded by water on all sides, they witnessed the impact of rising sea levels and met the families displaced by the creeping tides,” Tabuya said.
The meeting also saw the endorsement of the Taku Pakasoa Declaration by 30 regions, which Tabuya said would help mobilise efforts to protect the 1.5°C threshold.
With the Pre-COP meeting now over, the focus shifts to COP31 in Antalya, where Pacific countries will push for the commitments made in Fiji to translate into concrete action.
Tabuya said the Pacific’s priorities at COP31 would be to keep 1.5°C within reach, ensure climate finance reaches the people who need it most, and give the ocean its rightful place in the climate agenda.
She said the week’s achievements had also been rooted in Pacific knowledge and traditions of environmental custodianship, combined with climate science.
“So many of these achievements are rooted in indigenous knowledge, traditions of our custodianship working together with climate science.
“We must look at our international partners for solid commitments and turn this political momentum into delivery,” Tabuya said…..PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRECOP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
1.5°C overshoot inevitable, action must limit the damage : UN Climate Chief
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, OCTOBER 2026 2026 (PACNEWS)— UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell says the world must urgently act to keep the expected breach of the 1.5°C warming limit as short and as small as possible, warning that climate impacts are already escalating.
Speaking at the Pacific Pre-COP31 in Fiji, Stiell said the 1.5°C limit remained essential for the survival of small island states, even as science indicates the threshold will be exceeded.
“Limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius is demanded by science, agreed by nations, and essential for the survival of small islands — including here in the Pacific, and in my region, the Caribbean
“But science is telling us that overshoot of 1.5 is now inevitable,” Stiell said.
He said the international response must now focus on limiting the duration and scale of that overshoot by delivering on existing climate commitments and strengthening national action.
“The world must mobilise in response. To keep the breach as short and as small as possible,” he said.
Stiell said countries must fully implement their national climate plans and exceed their commitments wherever possible.
He said the second global stocktake of climate action at COP33 must show substantial progress towards the targets identified at the first stocktake.
“By the second global stocktake of climate action at COP33, we must be much closer to meeting the targets set at the first. Laying the ground for even greater ambition,” Stiell said.
Stiell said climate impacts were worsening while preparedness remained inadequate, making stronger resilience a priority for COP31.
“Climate impacts are escalating. This will get worse as we head into overshoot. Yet preparedness lags behind.
“COP needs to acknowledge this truth, and the urgent need to strengthen resilience,” he said.
Stiell said the COP process itself must be designed to deliver practical outcomes, with governments working alongside cities, states, the private sector and other actors to accelerate implementation.
“At Pre-COP we must move discussions forward to ensure COP31 drives progress — including on 1.5 and for climate vulnerable nations,” Stiell said.
He said the Global Climate Action Agenda and formal negotiations could help countries implement their National Adaptation Plans and Nationally Determined Contributions.
Stiell also stressed the importance of climate finance, saying commitments must translate into funding that countries can access and use effectively.
“Finance is vital. Commitments must be delivered. Access and quality must be addressed,” he said.
He highlighted the Statement and Action Plan on Access to Climate Finance for Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries as a potential tool, but said it would require support from governments and financial institutions.
“That means those on the boards of development banks — and others — using their influence to ensure finance reaches the ground rapidly,” he said.
Stiell also backed the COP31 Presidency’s call for greater action on electrification, including a target for electricity to account for 35 percent of global energy use by 2035.
He said electrification presented a major opportunity for small island states to reduce fossil fuel dependence, lower costs and strengthen resilience.
“Electrification is a golden opportunity, particularly for small islands: to break free of fossil fuel dependency — bringing down costs, building resilience, and powering sustainable development,” he said.
Stiell said responding to the risk of exceeding 1.5°C was also about addressing immediate economic pressures, including volatile fossil fuel markets, escalating disasters and the growing economic case for clean energy.
“It is in every nation’s immediate interest to act,” he said.
The Pacific Pre-COP31 brings together world leaders and senior representatives ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, with Pacific countries pushing for stronger climate finance, adaptation support and action to protect vulnerable island communities….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
Azerbaijan support stronger climate action for Pacific SIDS
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 2026 (PACNEWS)— Azerbaijan has called for the voices of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to play a greater role in shaping global climate policy, saying countries least responsible for emissions are bearing some of the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
Addressing Pacific leaders at the Pacific Pre-COP31 plenary in Denarau, President Ilham Aliyev said climate change was an existential threat for some island states and required stronger international cooperation.
“No region on the earth is spared from the consequences of climate change, but for some of them like Tuvalu it presents an existential threat,” Aliyev said.
He said SIDS were among the most exposed to climate change despite their negligible contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Climate change disproportionately affects their economies and infrastructure, destroys livelihoods and ecosystems,” he said.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan had consistently advocated for countries most affected by climate change to have a stronger role in global decision-making.
“Azerbaijan has consistently advocated for ensuring that the voices of those bearing the brunt of the crisis are not only heard but also actively shape global climate policy,” he said.
He said supporting SIDS was both a shared responsibility and a moral imperative to ensure no country was left behind.
Aliyev pointed to Azerbaijan’s engagement with SIDS during its COP29 presidency, including hosting the leaders of the Bahamas, Tonga and Tuvalu ahead of COP29 and convening a SIDS climate summit in Baku in 2024.
He said Azerbaijan had also provided bilateral assistance to disaster-prone countries, including support for responses to hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, as well as water supply, food security and cultural heritage projects.
More than 10 SIDS have benefited from Azerbaijan’s educational grant programme, allowing citizens from those countries to study at Azerbaijani universities, he said.
Aliyev also highlighted a 2024 joint declaration between Azerbaijan and the Commonwealth of Nations under which Azerbaijan is providing US$10 million over five years for climate action projects in Commonwealth countries.
The initiative also includes the potential use of satellite data from Azerbaijan’s space agency for environmental monitoring and assessment.
“Azerbaijan and SIDS are separated by thousands of kilometres but are united by a common determination to build climate resilience,” Aliyev said.
“We have always stood and will continue to stand in solidarity with SIDS and support them in their efforts in achieving sustainable development and tackling climate change.”
Aliyev said the Pacific Pre-COP31 meeting should strengthen the collective voice of SIDS ahead of COP31 in Türkiye.
“I hope that this gathering will serve to amplify our collective voice and will be a pivotal step in the lead-up to COP31 in Antalya,” he said.
He also expressed Azerbaijan’s support for the incoming COP31 leadership of Türkiye and Australia and the partnership between the two countries in preparing for the climate negotiations….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
PSIDS have shown the way on climate finance: Barbados Economic Affairs Minister
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Barbados is calling for a major shift in how climate finance is delivered to small island states, warning that broad promises of more funding will not close the investment gap facing vulnerable economies.
Barbados Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Marsha Caddle told Pacific Pre-COP31 leaders in Fiji that climate vulnerability and economic development could no longer be treated as separate issues.
“People’s lives do not fall so neatly behind the lines we draw for our own convenience,” Caddle said.
She said small island states had spent years carrying debt accumulated largely through climate-related vulnerability and recovery while being denied adequate financing for development.
Caddle said she had seen the same challenges two decades ago when she worked on poverty reduction and economic security in the Caribbean.
“At that time Caribbean small islands were based on their GDP, attracting little financing for economic security, but had a debt overhang that constrained our investment in people.
“That debt accumulated largely by climate-related vulnerability and recovery, yet we were being told that climate was not development,” she said.
Caddle said the experience of Tuvalu over the past two days demonstrated why climate resilience, economic development and local ownership must be addressed together.
She highlighted Tuvalu’s engineering works, driven by local employment, expertise and ownership, as an example of solutions developed by small island states that could have wider global application.
“I hope that by the end of this project what we see is a Tuvalu-owned and operated company that is able to offer these services to other islands in other parts of the world,” she said.
Caddle said Barbados had also been working to develop practical financing solutions for small island states.
She recalled that at the 2021 Glasgow climate conference, Barbados, Caribbean countries and Pacific and other small island states highlighted an estimated US$7.8 billion annual financing gap through to 2035.
Since then, she said Barbados had advanced work with multilateral institutions on debt pause clauses, debt swaps, debt sustainability frameworks and long-term financing for climate-vulnerable sectors.
“These are the kinds of public and private financing measures and instruments for mitigation and for adaptation that we have seen work, but that still requires scaling up at the multilateral and bilateral levels,” Caddle said.
She also pointed to financing approaches that free up resources for marine management and ocean governance, alongside investment in health, water and development.
Caddle said natural capital valuation was another important tool for small island states to demonstrate the economic value of their oceans and natural assets.
As Pacific leaders prepare to endorse the Taku Pakasoa Declaration ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, Caddle urged countries to maintain pressure for greater climate finance.
“We need to maintain the ambition on climate finance.
“Not simply by general calls for more, but by remaining specific in the kinds of public and private financing measures and instruments for mitigation and for adaptation that we have seen work,” she said.
Caddle said small island states had already demonstrated that they could develop solutions to their own challenges.
“Small island states have shown the way. The world must now take our hands and walk alongside,” she said…..PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
India offers Pacific climate expertise, calls for equity at COP31
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— India has offered to share its expertise in ocean science, coastal monitoring, early warning systems and climate risk assessment with Pacific island countries as leaders push for stronger climate action ahead of COP31.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said India’s experience as a country with a vast coastline and numerous islands gave it a strong understanding of the challenges facing Pacific island states.
Speaking at the Pacific Pre-COP31 plenary in Denarau, Yadav said there was no single pathway to addressing climate change and solutions must reflect the specific circumstances of each country.
“We have seen that there can’t be one-size-fits-all pathway to climate action,” Yadav said.
He said India was prepared to make its knowledge and technical expertise available to Pacific countries, particularly in areas such as shoreline monitoring, coastal management, cyclone and extreme weather early warning, and climate risk assessment.
“We will be happy to share this knowledge and expertise with our Pacific brothers,” he said.
Yadav highlighted India’s work through institutions including the Indian Space Research Organisation, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management and the National Centre for Coastal Research.
He said India’s capabilities included mapping shoreline changes, developing marine spatial plans, integrated coastal management and using Earth observation and space-based applications to address climate and environmental challenges.
The Indian minister also pointed to the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project as an example of how international cooperation and adequate means of implementation could translate into practical resilience.
“The Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project is a strong reflection of how international cooperation, especially the provision of means of implementation, can translate into tangible resilience on the ground,” he said.
Yadav said India had worked closely with Pacific partners across several sectors, including health, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, early warning information technology, agriculture and capacity building.
He said the direct impacts of climate change witnessed during the leaders’ visit to Tuvalu underscored the urgency of international action.
“To be here in the Pacific among communities experiencing the direct impact of climate change is a powerful reminder of what is at stake for all of us,” he said.
Looking towards COP31 in Türkiye, Yadav said adaptation, mitigation and the means of implementation must receive equal attention.
“India believes that adaptation, mitigation and means of implementation must receive equal attention,” he said.
He also called for the principle of equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities to remain central to global climate negotiations.
Yadav said climate assessments and studies were essential to identifying the specific adaptation and mitigation measures required by different regions and the resources needed to implement them.
He said India remained committed to working with Pacific island countries on climate resilience and sharing its technical capacity to support locally relevant solutions….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
UAE calls for climate finance to move from promises to implementation
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— The United Arab Emirates has called for climate negotiations to move beyond declarations and deliver financing and projects that improve the lives of communities facing the impacts of climate change.
UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi said the Pacific Pre-COP31 discussions must help turn international climate commitments into practical action, highlighting Tuvalu’s coastal adaptation project as evidence of what partnerships and predictable finance can achieve.
“Our overarching priority should be moving consensus to financing and implementation,” Al Shamsi told Pacific leaders at the Pre-COP31 plenary in Denarau.
She said the leaders’ visit to Funafuti had provided a direct example of climate adaptation being implemented on the ground.
“We all had the privilege of standing on the shorelines of Funafuti at Tuvalu’s Coastal Adaptation Project, witnessing firsthand climate adaptation in practice and building resilience for communities,” she said.
Al Shamsi said the project demonstrated the importance of predictable and appropriate climate finance, combined with international partnerships.
“TCAP offers a practical example of how predictable, fit-for-purpose finance and international partnerships can really deliver measurable adaptation outcomes on the ground,” she said.
She said the UAE welcomed the Pacific-led climate dialogue and remained committed to international climate finance and solidarity.
The minister said the UAE’s approach had been based on partnerships, with climate finance directed towards practical programmes.
She highlighted UAE’s pledge of US$100 million towards the initial capitalisation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage at COP28 in Dubai.
She also emphasised the launch of Altérra at COP28, with US$30 billion in commitments aimed at mobilising climate investment at scale.
In the Pacific, Al Shamsi said a US$50 million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund, financed through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and implemented by Masdar, had supported renewable energy projects across 11 Pacific island countries.
She also cited a US$10 million allocation under the Community Resilience to Natural Hazards programme to support communities across Asia and the Pacific facing natural hazards.
Al Shamsi said the UAE remained committed to ensuring Pacific island countries were not left behind in the global transition to a more resilient and sustainable future.
“Climate progress cannot be measured by negotiated declarations alone.
“It must be felt in the lives of people and safer coastlines, secure water supplies, reliable clean energy and thriving ecosystems,” she said.
Reflecting on the leaders’ visit to Tuvalu, Al Shamsi said the people involved in the coastal adaptation project had left a strong impression on her.
“One of the things that struck me the most is not just the project and the implementation that we saw on the ground, but it is the people around it,” she said.
She said the resilience and optimism of Tuvalu communities placed a responsibility on governments and international partners to deliver on their commitments.
“They are not only optimistic, they are resilient and they are courageous, and it is our responsibility to make sure that we deliver to their hopes and dreams,” Al Shamsi said.
She said no country could meet the climate challenge alone and that success would ultimately depend on what governments could deliver together.
“We have our shared responsibility, but the success can only be measured with what we can deliver together,” she said….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PREPCOP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
Climate action must move from ambition to implementation: Indonesia
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Indonesia has called for a stronger global response to climate change, saying the focus of international negotiations must now shift from setting ambitions to delivering results on the ground.
Indonesia’s Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat told Pacific Pre-COP31 leaders in Fiji that the gap between climate commitments and actual results must be closed, with equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities remaining central to the response.
“The Paris Agreement is our compass, yet the window of alive is closing fast. We must close the gap between promises and the result,” Hidayat said.
He said Indonesia’s second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) sets a pathway towards net zero emissions by 2060 or sooner, while climate action must be pursued alongside economic growth, energy security, poverty eradication and resilience.
“Climate action must advance alongside growth, energy security, poverty eradication and resilience,” he said.
Hidayat said Indonesia was accelerating economy-wide measures to reduce emissions, including action on waste and methane, industrial decarbonisation and the development of low-carbon industries.
He said Indonesia’s energy transition must also protect vulnerable communities and ensure energy remained affordable and secure.
“Our energy transition must be just, orderly and people-centred while strengthening energy security, affordability and protecting vulnerable communities,” Hidayat said.
The minister placed particular emphasis on adaptation, saying it must receive the same attention as mitigation.
“Indonesia underscores adaptation must stand equal to mitigation,” he said.
As an archipelagic country, Hidayat said Indonesia understood the risks faced by small island and coastal communities from rising sea levels.
He said the leaders’ visit to Tuvalu’s coastal adaptation project had reinforced the need for urgent action in island and archipelagic states.
“For island and archipelagic countries, sea level rise affects not only land and livelihood but also raises broader long-term questions for states and their people,” he said.
Hidayat also addressed the issue of statehood and sovereignty in the face of rising sea levels, saying Indonesia understood the concerns of vulnerable island states.
“In this context, Indonesia understands the appeal of continuing statehood and sovereignty in the face of sea level rise as reflecting the presumption in favour of continued statehood, consistent with international law,” he said.
He cautioned, however, that the legal status, content and consequences of that presumption required further consideration under international law.
While that discussion continues, Hidayat said governments could not delay practical measures to protect communities.
“Action to protect our people and communities cannot wait,” he said.
He said Indonesia was strengthening resilience through measures including mangrove restoration, coral reef protection and community-based climate adaptation programmes.
Looking ahead to COP31 in Türkiye, Hidayat said the central challenge was no longer a lack of climate ambition but the failure to turn commitments into action.
“Our challenge is no longer ambition; it is implementation.
“Moving from ambition to implementation requires concrete support. We need a global response that matches the scale of climate impact and safeguards our future generation,.” he said….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 08 Oct 2026
Pacific flotilla tells pre-cop31 leaders: ‘Keep 1.5°C alive’
NADI, O8 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS/GREENPEACE)—-About 80 Pacific and Torres Strait community members, Elders, youth activists and climate campaigners took to the water in Nadi in a flotilla calling on leaders to keep the 1.5°C temperature limit at the centre of climate negotiations.
The flotilla sailed past Pre-COP31 venues carrying banners and messages including “Hold the Line at 1.5°C” and “Keep 1.5°C Alive.”
The flotilla included the traditional Fijian voyaging vessel Uto Ni Yalo, six six-person outrigger canoes and Greenpeace campaigning vessel Oceania, which sailed from Sydney to Fiji for the Pre-COP talks.
Those on board included Pacific and Torres Strait communities, Elders, young climate activists, poets, campaigners and climate experts from across the region.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Pacific Shiva Gounden said the flotilla was intended to ensure the voices of communities most exposed to climate change were heard by leaders meeting in Nadi.
“People from across the Pacific and Australia have come together today to make sure the voices of our communities are heard by leaders meeting here in Nadi for the Pre-COP climate talks,” Gounden said.
He linked the action to the Taku Pakasoa Declaration adopted at the Pre-COP, saying its message of strength through unity was reflected in the flotilla.
“Our message is clear: Hold the Line on 1.5°C and centre those most impacted by the climate crisis in your decision-making.
“Our children’s futures must not be stolen away so that polluting nations can continue down the fossil-fuel path,” Gounden said.
He said keeping global warming below 1.5°C remained critical for Pacific communities and the wider world.
“Limiting global heating to 1.5°C is a non-negotiable survival line for Pacific communities and for humanity,” he said.
Gounden said said communities were already experiencing the effects of climate change through increasingly damaging extreme weather.
“Every cyclone, every storm now blows with the deadly force of accumulated emissions and gives a warning of what is to come as we face a dangerous summer of climate-fuelled extreme weather.
“Do not ignore our voices,” Gounden said.
Pacific youth climate advocate and poet Aigagalefili Fepulea’i-Tapua’i, from the Aotearoa Climate Action Network, said New Zealand also had a responsibility to protect Indigenous rights as part of its response to climate change.
“To hold the line on 1.5°C for our Pacific family, New Zealand, as the only country where the connection between environmental protection and Indigenous rights is legally validated by our constitutional document, must protect the rights of Māori,” she said.
The flotilla came as Pacific leaders gathered for the final stages of the Pre-COP31 discussions in Fiji before COP31 in Türkiye.
The Taku Pakasoa Declaration, which means “Strength in Unity,” is expected to form part of the Pacific’s collective message to the global climate negotiations…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – DERELICT VESSELS: BLUE PROSPERITY FIJI PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 08 Oct 2026
Fiji takes action on Suva harbour cleanup as it hosts Pre-COP
SUVA, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (BLUE PROSPERITY FIJI)— The abandoned passenger ferry MV Westerland has been safely removed from Mosquito Island in Lami Bay, marking the third successful removal in an ongoing multi-agency cleanup effort in Fiji.
The latest removal marks another milestone in the effort to clear Suva Harbour of derelict vessels that have crowded and polluted its waters for years. It follows the successful removal of two derelict fishing vessels, the Zhong Da 2 and Sunshine 86, in August.
This cleanup comes at an important time as Fiji is hosting Pre-COP31, providing an opportunity to showcase the country’s ocean leadership on the international stage.
Fiji Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka stated, “A cleaner Suva Harbour shows the world that Fiji’s ocean leadership is more than words. We made commitments to protect our ocean, and we are delivering on them, starting right here in our capital”.
For years, Mosquito Island’s once clean, sandy beaches sat buried beneath the wreckage of the abandoned ferry. Removing the MV Westerland begins the restoration of the shoreline and clears the way for the island to serve the community again as a shared space, not a dumping ground.
Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau stated, “The removal of MV Westerland represents another important milestone in our efforts to restore and protect Suva Harbour. Derelict vessels pose significant risks to navigation safety, the marine environment and the wellbeing of our coastal communities.”
The Fiji Government, through the Joint Maritime Environment Committee, provides interagency oversight and coordination. Fiji Ports Corporation is leading all operational aspects of vessel removal, including vessel identification and prioritisation, managing approved contractors, ensuring environmental compliance, cleaning, and scuttling vessels.
Cruz Holdings, the contractor engaged for the operation, carried out the removal and scuttling of the MV Westerland safely and in line with all environmental requirements.
Every derelict vessel removal follows the same multi-step process. Each one is cleaned of oil and debris, has its manholes and leak points sealed, and is inspected before it is towed anywhere. Only once the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) confirms that all requirements have been met, does a vessel receive its scuttling coordinates.
The Ministry of Environment completed an Environmental Impact Assessment ahead of this operation, and the Westerland was scuttled well offshore, clear of fishing grounds, navigational passages, and shallow reef environments. Additional derelict vessels will be removed in an ongoing cleanup effort backed by the Captain Johnathan Smith Fund, with support from the Waitt Foundation, Waitt Institute, and Blue Prosperity Fiji.
Fiji has committed to sustainably managing 100 percent and fully protecting 30 percent of its ocean through a Marine Spatial Plan. The derelict vessels cleanup initiative directly supports this vision by removing physical and environmental obstructions and promoting clean water and ocean areas.
Through this effort, multi-agency coordination is now underway to address legal reforms that will help prevent future vessel abandonment….PACNEWS
FIJI – INCENRATOR PROJECT: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 08 Oct 2026
Vuda Point EIA appeal delayed as TNG seeks internal documents
SUVA, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—The Environmental Tribunal has adjourned to 15 October a matter concerning a motion by Next Generation Holdings (Fiji) Pte Ltd seeking discovery of documents in its appeal against the rejection of its Environmental Impact Assessment report.
The matter was called before Magistrate Charles Ratakele today, with TNG lawyer Tomasi Tuitoga informing the Tribunal that the respondents had filed an affidavit in reply to the motion.
Tuitoga told the Tribunal he would need time to consider the respondents’ affidavit and determine whether TNG needed to file an affidavit in response. Lawyer Taufik Ali, appearing for the respondents, had no objection to the adjournment.
The Tribunal granted the adjournment and set October 15 for the matter to be called again.
TNG is challenging the Director of Environment’s June 4 decision to reject its EIA report for its proposed development at Vuda Point.
The company has previously argued that the decision was based on errors of law and an improper exercise of statutory powers. The discovery motion relates to documents TNG says are relevant to its appeal.
The respondents have previously maintained that some of the documents sought were internal documents and were not before the Director of Environment when the decision to reject the EIA was made…PACNEWS
AUST – BIOSECURITY: AAP PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 08 Oct 2026
CSIRO to partner with pharmaceutical giant for research
CANBERRA, 08 COTOBER 2026 (AAP)—Australia’s leading science agency has teamed up with a pharmaceutical giant to help prevent future biosecurity threats.
A five-year partnership has been signed between the CSIRO and Moderna for a biosecurity accelerator.
The programme will focus on infectious disease research and mRNA technology.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the collaboration would allow Australian scientists to respond to emerging threats and assist in the faster development of laboratory work.
“Australia’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to biosecurity threats is an important part of our national resilience,” Marles said.
“Initiatives like this help ensure Australia is better equipped to meet emerging challenges while contributing to security, stability and prosperity across our region.”
Moderna is among the largest companies that use mRNA vaccines, which trains the immune system through genetic instructions to fight a disease, compared with traditional vaccines which uses physical parts of a virus or bacteria.
The pharmaceutical giant used mRNA technology to develop a COVID vaccine and is currently carrying out clinical trials for bird flu.
Science Minister Tim Ayres said there would be significant benefits for Australian scientists at CSIRO.
“CSIRO is one of Australia’s leading science organisations, and this partnership means we can leverage Australia’s scientific knowledge to benefit all Australians and ensure our region is better prepared for future biosecurity challenges,’ he said.
“Some of the nation’s leading researchers will have the chance to learn from Moderna, who have pushed the boundaries of biotechnology forward.”
As part of the partnership, biosecurity safeguards in the agricultural industry will be examined and applied through Australia and the Pacific region….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
WHO releases first global guidelines on child obesity as cases surge
GENEVA, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (WHO)—-Child and adolescent obesity has quadrupled since 1990, rising from two percent to around eight percent of youngsters in the five-to-19 age group, according to the UN World Health Organisation (WHO)
In 2024, there were around 170 million children and adolescents living with obesity – including 70 million children aged five to nine and some 100 million adolescents up to 19.
The UN health agency defines obesity as a “chronic, relapsing disease” triggered by excessive fat deposits which can nonetheless be managed through effective care.
What’s at stake
Children and adolescents with the disease can face both medical and social repercussions from very early on in life, WHO warns.
Obesity increases the risk of noncommunicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
It also increases their likelihood of experiencing stigma, discrimination and bullying, which can strongly negatively affect mental health.
In its new set of guidelines, WHO strongly recommends dietary changes, physical activity and other behaviour-changing interventions.
Weight loss drugs: a last resort
It does not recommend pharmacological treatment, bariatric surgery (surgery that changes the digestive system to induce weight loss) or weight-loss devices for children aged 0-9 years.
For adolescents aged 10-19 years, treatment with approved medicines – such as GLP-1 therapies – should only be considered when a supervised lifestyle programme has failed to make improvements.
Similarly, bariatric surgery may be considered under strict conditions for those with severe obesity.
“The foundation of obesity care for children and adolescents is not medicine or surgery, but access to comprehensive support that enables healthy eating, physical activity and sustainable behaviour change,” said Dr Luz María De Regil, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO.
Keeping spirits up
The new recommendations also emphasise the importance of addressing mental health alongside obesity, because it is both a cause and a consequence of the disease.
Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and emotional dysregulation can contribute to unhealthy eating behaviours, physical inactivity and social withdrawal, while children and adolescents living with obesity may also experience stigma and bullying that harm their emotional well-being.
The guidelines stress that obesity care should go beyond weight loss and aim to improve health, functioning and well-being, notably by being tailored to the specific needs of each child and by ensuring long-term follow-up.
Political action
At the same time, WHO acknowledged that treatment cannot reverse the rise in obesity by itself: systemic changes are needed.
The agency called for policies and measures that make healthy diets and physical activity more accessible and affordable, including regulatory and fiscal measures and action across education, urban planning, transport and social protection.
“Our priority must be to ensure that every child and adolescent can access quality care and supportive environments from an early age, helping them achieve and maintain a healthy weight and laying the foundation for lifelong health and well-being,” said Dr De Regil….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Reform, or lose trust: Governments press the UN to reflect the world as it is
NEW YORK, 08 OCTOBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —Can the UN still remain relevant if it still looks and acts like the organisation it was when it was formed in 1945? The debate over UN reform at the General Assembly in New York last month produced a striking common refrain from a diverse range of Member States.
Many governments believe the United Nations can only remain credible and effective if its institutions better reflect the realities of the 21st century.
From questions of Security Council representation to institutional effectiveness, delegates repeatedly returned to the relationship between power, fairness and legitimacy.
For this third and final analysis piece highlighting key themes, UN News looked at some of the speeches during the annual General Debate of the 193 Member States attending the UN General Assembly.
As Secretary-General António Guterres put it: “The United Nations exists because power requires rules – and humanity needs a place where power answers to principle.”
Who gets a seat at the table?
Security Council reform sat at the centre of discussions about UN reform.
Speaker after speaker argued that representation and legitimacy can’t be separated, and Africa’s continued absence from permanent membership was a recurrent theme.Kenya put it bluntly: “The equality proclaimed in this Assembly ends at the doors of the Security Council.”
Guyana made a similar case for the wider world: “We need a Security Council that reflects the geopolitical realities of the 21st century, not the power structures of 1945; a Council that embraces the emerging multipolarity of our world, including permanent representation from Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.”
The UN chief Guterres agreed, calling the status quo indefensible: “A 21st century Security Council without permanent African seats is unjust and indefensible.”
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman echoed this sentiment: “Africa cannot be asked to wait indefinitely for its rightful place on the Council.”
Consensus on reform, disagreement over how
While support for reform was widespread, governments proposed different solutions.
Spain went furthest, calling for both fairer regional representation and scrapping the veto outright: “We need to reform the Security Council so that all of the regions in the world have fair representation, and so that we can do away with the right of veto of the permanent members.”
Russia, one of the five Permanent Members of the Council, took a more cautious approach backing “the expansion of representation by Asia, Africa and Latin America” but adding that reforms shouldn’t “undermine the intergovernmental nature of the UN system or erode the prerogatives of the UN Security Council and its Permanent Members.”
Trust has to be earned
A second thread ran through the week: Trust, and how easily it erodes when rules get applied selectively.
Hungary argued cooperation and self-interest aren’t actually in opposition: “We believe that national interest and international cooperation do not have to stand against each other,” adding that “the United Nations cannot demand trust. It must earn it.”
Several delegations linked public confidence in international institutions to the consistent application of rules and principles. Concerns were raised about unequal treatment, selective implementation of international law and failures to respond effectively to crises.
A leaner UN?
While the UN has championed its UN80 Initiative, that aims to make the United Nations more coherent, effective and responsive to today’s challenges, countries also offered competing visions of operational reform.
Switzerland and Costa Rica emphasised clear priorities, efficiency and measurable results.
The President of the General Assembly highlighted overlapping mandates, bureaucratic silos and the need for better coordination at the country level.
However, several speakers warned against treating reform as a cost-cutting exercise.
China said reform should improve institutional performance rather than merely reduce budgets and mandates.
Guyana argued that resources should match the responsibilities assigned to the Organisation.
Spain called for United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to receive more resources and greater executive capacity.
The differences were not simply about spending. They concerned what the United Nations should do, how much authority it should have and whether better delivery requires stronger operational capacity – or a narrower institutional role.
Is the UN fit for purpose?
A recurring question throughout the debate was not whether the United Nations should exist, but whether it can produce results.
General Assembly President Rahman put it most sharply: “Outside these walls, people are not asking whether the United Nations still exists. They are asking whether it works.” He maintained that it is people which matter, not process: “Every penny must be invested to achieve impact on the ground for the people we serve.”
The United States offered a contrasting model based on institutional retrenchment: “We cut the UN budget for the first time ever, slashing it by 15 percent in 2026 and eliminating more than 4,000 positions from the UN bureaucracy,” while rejecting international involvement in areas considered national prerogatives.
One line united almost everyone
For all the disagreement over vetoes, institutional power and competing reform models, delegates kept circling back to the same core concern.
Namely that the scale of today’s problems has outgrown the structures meant to solve them and that Member States need to work towards building a more resilient and effective organisation.
As Guyana noted: “This is why we must not abandon multilateralism because it is imperfect; we must renew it because humanity still needs it.”…PACNEWS
