PACIFIC Island nations are increasing their calls for a global phase-out of fossil fuels, as ministers prepare to meet in Vanuatu next week amid fuel supply disruptions and rising economic pressure across the region.
Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) ministers and senior officials will convene in Port Vila from the April 13-15 for the third Pacific Ministerial Dialogue on the Global Just Transition called Port Vila II.
The meeting comes as several island nations grapple with fuel shortages and price spikes linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative says the situation highlights the region’s heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels. Fiji has recorded a 20 per cent increase in petrol prices, Tuvalu has sent government workers home to cut costs, and the Marshall Islands has declared a 90-day economic emergency.
Founder and chair of the initiative, Dr Tzeporah Berman, said Pacific Island nations have long recognised the risks of fossil fuel dependence.
“Pacific Island nations were the first countries to call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty,” she said.
“Even before the current supply constraints and high oil prices due to the war in Iran, these countries understood the threat fossil fuels pose to their security and to global climate stability.”
The Port Vila meeting is expected to shape a unified Pacific position ahead of the First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels later this month in Santa Marta, Colombia. Leaders will also consider establishing a PSIDS inter-governmental task force to coordinate regional engagement and build momentum for a global fossil fuel treaty.
Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Ralph Regenvanu, said the region continues to bear the brunt of a crisis it did not create.
“The Pacific did not create the fossil fuel crisis, yet we are paying the highest price for it,” he said.
“Our communities are on the frontlines of sea level rise, intensifying cyclones, and the slow erasure of the only homes we have ever known.”
Regenvanu said Port Vila II would ensure Pacific voices influence global decisions.
“It must shape what happens in Santa Marta. This is about the survival of our people.”
Pacific climate advocate Joseph Sikulu said the region’s leadership on climate action is driven by necessity.
“For Pacific Islands, leading on climate has never been a choice — it is survival,” he said.
Amid these regional efforts, the initiative also highlighted Australia’s role, noting increased scrutiny of its continued approval of coal and gas projects, even as Pacific nations push for a global framework to phase out fossil fuels.
With Australia set to preside over COP31 negotiations in 2026, the upcoming Santa Marta conference is viewed as a key test of regional cooperation and climate leadership.
As global uncertainty continues to disrupt fuel supply chains, Pacific leaders are expected to use the Port Vila talks to reinforce a clear message: reducing dependence on fossil fuels is no longer just a climate goal, but an economic and security priority for the region.
Source: Asia Pacific Security Magazine
