In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — COP31: Australia cannot lead climate negotiations while expanding coal and gas, Amnesty warns
2. PACIFIC — Advocacy group warns proposed U.S Census changes could deepen inequalities in Pacific territories
3. PACIFIC — U.S voices concern over closure of Taiwan office in Papua New Guinea
4. PACIFIC — Pacific warns of debt pressure as Commonwealth looks to strengthen climate finance
5. PACIFIC — Call for France to suspend cooperation with Vanuatu
6. FIJI — Climate funding tops Fiji-UK talks
7. PACIFIC — Senate bill could lock in seabed mining approvals, group warns
8. PACIFIC — U.S Air Force eyes reviving WWII air bases in the Pacific
9. PACIFIC — 15 Pacific Journalists to Report COP31
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Pacific ministers adopt Port Vila Declaration and call for investment in agrifood solutions
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Plans to boost tourism and build the economy
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — COP31 should draw on Taiwan’s Pacific climate experience
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — On eve of COP31, Pacific countries strengthen push for 1.5 to stay Alive
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — 1.5 Overshoot Report a call to Action, Alliance of Small Island States at COP31
PAC – COP31: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
COP31: Australia cannot lead climate negotiations while expanding coal and gas, Amnesty warns
CANBERRA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL) — As world leaders prepare to gather for COP31 starting this week, Amnesty International Australia has warned that the Albanese Government cannot credibly claim climate leadership while continuing to approve new coal and gas projects that fuel climate change and threaten human rights.
Australia, as President of Negotiations at COP31, has a responsibility to secure ambitious, human rights-centred outcomes that deliver meaningful climate action, particularly for communities on the frontlines of climate change.
Yet Australia remains one of the world’s leading fossil fuel exporters, continuing to approve coal and gas expansion projects, despite calls from First Nations communities, Pacific neighbours, and climate and human rights advocates for a just and urgent transition away from fossil fuels.
Kyinzom Dhongdue, Strategy and Advocacy Manager at Amnesty International Australia, said: “Australia cannot claim to be a global climate leader at COP31 starting this week, while continuing to give the green light to new coal and gas projects. The Australian Government cannot have it both ways. Its continued support for fossil fuel expansion makes a mockery of its commitments to climate action and undermines its credibility on the world stage.
“Across Australia and the Pacific, communities are already paying the price for a climate crisis they did little to cause. People are losing their homes, livelihoods and cultural heritage, while coal and gas companies continue to profit from the destruction of our planet.”
Kyinzom Dhongdue, Strategy and Advocacy Manager at Amnesty International Australia: “Across Australia and the Pacific, communities are already paying the price for a climate crisis they did little to cause. People are losing their homes, livelihoods and cultural heritage, while coal and gas companies continue to profit from the destruction of our planet. The Australian Government must stop putting corporate profits ahead of people’s lives and human rights.
“As President, Australia has an opportunity and a responsibility to turn its claims of climate leadership into meaningful action. That means ending coal and gas expansion, making major polluters pay to remedy the harms they’re causing, and securing a just, fully funded transition away from fossil fuels that puts people and human rights first.”
Amnesty International has documented Indigenous Peoples, environmental human rights defenders and affected communities around the world resisting destructive fossil fuel projects and defending their lands, livelihoods and futures.
These movements are essential to a fair and effective transition, yet Indigenous Peoples and other affected communities are routinely excluded from decisions while those defending them face criminalisation, intimidation and reprisals.
“The people defending forests, rivers, ancestral lands and communities from destructive projects are showing governments what climate leadership truly looks like.”
Marta Schaaf, Amnesty International Programme Director for Climate: “The people defending forests, rivers, ancestral lands and communities from destructive projects are showing governments what climate leadership truly looks like. They must be protected and heard, not criminalised, intimidated or excluded from decisions about their futures,” said Marta Schaaf, Amnesty International Programme Director for Climate.
The climate crisis transcends borders, but its consequences are deeply unequal. The catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet following a partial Himalayan glacier collapse showed how communities with the fewest resources are often exposed to the gravest dangers. It also underscored the urgent need for international cooperation and adequate funding from higher income countries to fund a just transition and climate resilience in lower income countries.
“No country can confront this crisis alone. Those who have contributed least to global warming are often suffering the greatest harms. COP31 must deliver collective action that reflects this profound injustice,” said Marta Schaaf.
COP31 must deliver concrete outcomes that advance a just and human rights-consistent transition:
– It must establish a strong Belem-Antalya Mechanism for Just Transition with a mandate to deliver on human rights and the ability to deliver support for just transitions;
– implement the Gender Action Plan, including by developing robust guidelines for the protection of women environmental defenders;
– ensure the second Global Stocktake is rooted in human rights and shaped by affected communities, including through Global People’s Assemblies;
– advance Loss and Damage as a separate agenda item and adequately replenishing the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage;
– tackle the scale up of climate finance needed including through formal negotiations on the Climate Finance Work Programme and focus it on implementation of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement;
– and begin reforming the way UN climate governance works.
Governments must accelerate a full, fast, fair and funded fossil fuel phase-out to limit any overshoot of 1.5°C, according to their responsibilities and capacities, and bring temperatures back down. The transition to electrification must be through increasing renewable energy and must protect workers, Indigenous Peoples and frontline communities, without reproducing existing abuses or creating new fossil fuel demand, including from AI data centres.
High-income countries with the greatest historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions must massively increase grant-based climate finance, including through higher taxes on the ultra-rich, fossil fuel companies and their financial backers. This funding is essential for lower-income countries to cut emissions, adapt, deliver just transitions and address loss and damage, including through climate reparations.
Ahead of COP31, Amnesty International released its detailed technical recommendations for climate action and has joined calls for ambitious climate finance, recognition and protection of environmental human rights defenders and requirements for the “35 by 35” electrification target…. PACNEWS
PAC – CENSUS: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Advocacy group warns proposed U.S Census changes could deepen inequalities in Pacific territories
WELLLINGTON, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — Proposed changes to the United States Census could worsen longstanding data inequalities in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa, raising concerns about access to federal resources, disaster recovery funding, and political representation.
The non-profit organisation Right to Democracy has urged the U.S Census Bureau to withdraw the proposals, warning they could further marginalise communities in American territories that already face significant gaps in federal data collection.
The proposed regulations, announced on 10 September, would remove questions about race and ethnicity from the decennial census, introduce new residency criteria based partly on tax records, and exclude certain non-citizen residents from population counts used to determine congressional representation.
Right to Democracy co-director Adi Martínez-Román said the proposals failed to address their potential impact on the territories.
“These sweeping rule changes don’t even mention the U.S territories or explain how they will impact people that live here,” Martínez-Román said.
“Our jurisdictions already face data challenges related to Census counting, and these changes create even more dangerous uncertainty that will lead to the further invisibilisation of our communities.”
The organisation said the proposed removal of racial and ethnic questions would be particularly damaging to Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S Virgin Islands because they are excluded from the American Community Survey, which provides more detailed demographic information between censuses.
Although those questions would remain in the survey, territorial communities would not benefit from that continued data collection.
The group also raised concerns about proposed residency rules that would rely partly on federal tax records.
Many residents of U.S territories file income tax returns with their local governments rather than the Internal Revenue Service, and the proposed rules do not explain how those records would be treated.
The proposed 3 January to 1 April reference period also raises questions about how the Census Bureau would account for residents temporarily displaced by natural disasters or those moving between the territories and the U.S mainland.
Another concern involves U.S nationals from American Samoa living in the states, whose status the organisation said should be explicitly addressed to avoid confusion over citizenship and immigration classifications.
Right to Democracy co-director Neil Weare said the federal government should instead be addressing existing shortcomings in census coverage.
“Rather than taking steps to further exclude people from U.S territories, the Census should be taking steps to close the data gaps that have long harmed our communities,” Weare said.
“Federal rules that overlook these communities can deepen inequities that already exist. People in the territories deserve accurate data that reflect their lives and needs.”
CHamoru legal scholar Marlee Sonico, a member of the organisation’s Cross-Territorial Coalition, said the consequences could extend beyond population statistics.
“Public services, disaster recovery, and community investment all rely on accurate census data,” Sonico said.
She warned that losing detailed demographic information would make it harder to identify racial disparities, enforce civil rights protections, and demonstrate unmet community needs.
Sonico said the territories’ exclusion from congressional apportionment did not diminish their need for accurate census information.
Public health researcher Lianeris Estremera Rodriguez, another coalition member, said changes to the 2030 census could further undermine the political visibility of territorial communities.
“Structural and political erasure begins with data erasure. Data equity is a fundamental civil right,” she said.
Right to Democracy submitted its objections ahead of the 2 November public comment deadline and called on the Census Bureau to work directly with territorial communities before implementing any changes.
The organisation said accurate population and demographic data remain essential to ensuring Pacific territories receive appropriate federal support and that their communities are adequately represented in government decision-making…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY/POLITICS: TAIWAN NEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
U.S voices concern over closure of Taiwan office in Papua New Guinea
TAIPEI, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (TAIWAN NEWS) — The U.S State Department expressed concern on Saturday over Papua New Guinea’s decision to force the closure of Taiwan’s representative office in Port Moresby, calling the move another example of Beijing’s intimidation of Taiwan and its international partners, per UDN.
A State Department spokesperson told CNA that Washington was deeply concerned by reports that Papua New Guinea had unilaterally ordered the closure of the Taipei Economic Office and the departure of its personnel.
The spokesperson described Taiwan as a reliable, like-minded democratic partner whose international relationships bring significant benefits to people in partner countries, including Papua New Guinea. The move undermines countries’ sovereign decisions to establish partnerships with Taiwan and threatens international peace and prosperity, the spokesperson said.
Papua New Guinea cited its “one China” policy in announcing the closure in July. The country maintains formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, not Taipei.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday that it would close the office, withdraw all personnel, and terminate technical cooperation and aid programmes with Papua New Guinea following renewed demands for Taiwanese staff to leave by a specified deadline.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China’s efforts to restrict Taiwan’s diplomatic space were continuing, but Taiwan would not back down.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Chiu called the closure another example of Beijing suppressing Taiwan’s international participation. He said the government had anticipated that China would use countries in the Global South that support Beijing to pressure them into removing Taiwan’s representative offices, per UDN.
Chiu said Taiwan remained willing to contribute to the international community and would continue defending its right to participate in international affairs…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Pacific warns of debt pressure as Commonwealth looks to strengthen climate finance
SAINT JOHN’S, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — Commonwealth leaders have committed to strengthening climate finance, as Pacific Island countries in the Commonwealth called for urgent action to address growing economic pressures they face due to climate change.
Pac News reports that the commitments were outlined in the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) communiqué, adopted at the conclusion of the four-day summit in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
The communiqué, agreed by leaders of the 56-member Commonwealth, recognises the growing challenges facing small island developing states (SIDS), including climate change, limited access to finance, economic uncertainty and vulnerability to external shocks.
Earlier, Samoa’s top representative at the summit, the country’s deputy prime minister Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o called for urgent reforms to international climate finance.
Pacnews reports her warning that Pacific countries should not be forced into debt to recover from climate disasters they did little to cause.
Mulipola also urged Commonwealth leaders to heed the calls from recent Pacific Pre-COP discussions in Fiji and Tuvalu for accessible, predictable, and grant-based climate finance.
Fiji’s special envoy Ratu Inoke Kubuabola warned delegates that reliance on loans is adding to their debt pressure for climate-vulnerable nations like those in the Pacific.
Addressing CHOGM, under the theme ‘Scaling Up Partnerships and Investment for Resilient Small States’, Kubuabola highlighted the growing financial challenges facing SIDS.
According to him, nearly 40 percent of SIDS are either experiencing debt distress or at high risk of debt distress, while 44 per cent of adaptation financing continues to be delivered through loans.
Kubuabola said small states needed practical financing solutions that would improve access to affordable development and climate finance without increasing their debt burdens.
He highlighted Fiji’s experience in this area, including becoming the first developing country to issue a sovereign green bond and the first Pacific country to issue a sovereign blue bond.
Fiji has reaffirmed its US$10 million commitment to the Pacific Resilience Facility, a Pacific-led financing mechanism designed to provide grants directly to communities.
Kubuabola called on Commonwealth members to increase their support for the facility, which aims to strengthen community resilience without adding to national debt…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Call for France to suspend cooperation with Vanuatu
PORT VILA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — New Caledonian politician, Nicolas Metzdorf, has called on France to recall its Ambassador from Vanuatu and suspend cooperation between the two countries if Vanuatu continues to pursue its claim over Matthew and Hunter.
In a video posted on his Facebook page, Metzdorf expressed frustration over Vanuatu’s position on the disputed islands, accusing the country of seeking control of the surrounding Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rather than protecting cultural or historical interests.
He also called on France to end cooperation through the Institute of Research for Development (IRD) and the French Development Agency, and withdraw its diplomatic presence in Port Vila.
“We stop the IRD, we stop the French Development Agency, we recall our embassy, we stop cooperation with Vanuatu, as long as they are this aggressive with us,” he said.
His comments come as discussions and negotiations between Vanuatu and France over the disputed islands remain ongoing.
The politician also questioned the involvement of French development and research institutions in Vanuatu, particularly the IRD’s partnership with the University of Vanuatu, which he described as inappropriate while the territorial dispute remains unresolved.
He alleged that Vanuatu’s interest in Matthew and Hunter Islands was linked to gaining control of the surrounding maritime territory and suggested that the country could potentially lease or sell access to the area to China.
He further criticised the pro-independence FLNKS movement in New Caledonia, accusing it of supporting Vanuatu’s position despite the importance of the surrounding EEZ to a future independent New Caledonia.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, Metzdorf said he intended to write to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs to call for an end to cooperation with Vanuatu.
He also described the situation as looking like “treason”.
Daily Post contacted the French Embassy in Port Vila to clarify whether France supports Metzdorf’s statements and whether his proposed withdrawal of diplomatic and development cooperation reflects the French Government’s position.
The Embassy said it would wait for the new French Ambassador to arrive before providing a response.
Daily Post also sent questions to Metzdorf’s associate, Nicolas Yamamoto, seeking clarification on the politician’s call to suspend cooperation with Vanuatu. Yamamoto advised that Metzdorf is in Paris and would respond to the questions upon his return…. PACNEWS
FIJI – CLIMATE FINANCE: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Climate funding tops Fiji-UK talks
SUVA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (FBC NEWS) — Fiji is pushing for stronger access to climate finance for Pacific communities as it seeks to deepen its partnership with the United Kingdom.
It focuses on climate action, ocean protection and regional development.
The issue was raised during a meeting between Acting British High Commissioner Stephen Lysaght and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Ambassador Solo Mara, earlier this week.
Both sides discussed the need to ensure climate financing reaches communities facing the effects of climate change, while recognising the ocean’s central role in the livelihoods and economic security of Pacific nations.
The talks also turned to the 65-year history of Fijians serving in the British Army, with both countries considering ways to formally recognise their contributions to the British Armed Forces.
Beyond climate cooperation, the discussions covered support for regional institutions, professional development for Fijian diplomats and senior leadership training.
The United Kingdom also discussed skills development for former British Army personnel as they transition into civilian employment.
Both countries are now looking at 2030 as a milestone year to recognise the evolution of their modern partnership…. PACNEWS
PAC – DEEPSEA MINING: GUAM DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Senate bill could lock in seabed mining approvals, group warns
HAGATNA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (GUAM DAILY POST) — A Senate permitting bill up for a procedural vote Monday could make it far harder for a future administration to undo seabed mining approvals now moving toward waters near Guam, according to the environmental law group Earthjustice.
In an analysis posted Thursday, Earthjustice legislative director Addie Haughey said Section 1401 of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act “will effectively lock in this administration’s decisions, whether good or bad.” The group represents the plaintiffs in federal lawsuits over planned seabed lease sales off American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Marianas sale is set for 16 December Its closest lease area sits about 47 miles from Guam.
Section 1401 of Senate Bill 5653, labeled “project certainty,” bars a federal agency from taking any new action to revoke, suspend, amend, or alter a permit or authorisation held by a nonfederal sponsor if it was in effect on or after 16 September. The definition is broad. It covers permits, biological opinions, findings, and “any other approval or order” needed to build or operate a project.
The bill allows five exceptions. An agency may act if a court orders it, if the holder breached the permit or broke the law, if the approval was obtained through fraud, or if the holder asks for the change. It may also act to prevent specific, urgent, substantial, and proximate harm to life, property, national security, or defense, but only on new information the original review did not consider. Environmental damage is not listed.
Earthjustice reads that as covering the leases the administration is preparing to issue, including in the Marianas, which the group says would run 20 years or longer. Once those leases exist, Haughey wrote, the bill “could block a future administration from reversing the leases or even adding environmentally protective conditions to them, regardless of the science or new policies to protect affected communities.”
Haughey also wrote that the same protection could reach permits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is preparing for mining in international waters of the Pacific, even if a later administration chooses to follow the Law of the Sea.
The bill also attaches a price to changing course. If an agency revokes or alters a permit and the holder sues, the agency must prove by clear and convincing evidence that one of the five exceptions applies. If the court finds the agency has not met that burden, the permit holder is entitled to reinstatement of the permit, plus attorney fees and delay costs as the court sees fit. The holder would also recover at least 25 percent and as much as 50 percent of all project costs incurred up to the date of the agency’s action, to the extent those costs are not covered by the other awards. Payment would come from a federal fund and would not depend on appropriations.
Earthjustice also argues the bill would weaken the reviews that come before approvals. Haughey wrote that it would limit courts’ ability to enforce the National Environmental Policy Act and restrict judicial review when agencies fail to follow the Endangered Species Act. That second law is the basis of Earthjustice’s lawsuits over both the American Samoa and Marianas sales, which argue the National Marine Fisheries Service never weighed what mining itself could do to whales, sea turtles, and other protected species.
Sources familiar with the bill who briefed the Post on background pointed to more provisions. They cited a 150-day deadline to file legal challenges to mineral project approvals and a change that would let a court send a flawed environmental review back to the agency while mining continues. They said those changes would apply only to new cases, so current lawsuits proceed under today’s law. Furthermore, they also said Section 2301 would narrow what counts as a traditional cultural property under historic preservation review, a tool used in Guam, Hawaii, American Samoa, and the CNMI. In their view, that would weaken claims based on Pacific Islanders’ ties to the ocean and seafloor.
Federal officials describe a lease as a first step. The Marine Minerals Administration says a winning bid authorises only preliminary work such as mapping and sampling and that any mining would need a separate plan and environmental review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told G20 energy ministers 14 September that deep sea mining permits could be issued within months.
The White House wants the bill passed. A White House official told Politico on Friday that the president had signed off on the deal, calling it “a chance for the Democrats to put up or shut up.”
The bill’s Democratic authors argue for speed. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island told Reuters that passing it now beats waiting for next year. “It’s a bird in the hand. We’d be fools not to take it.” Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, another Democratic author, said, “I’m not going to wait.”
Monday’s vote needs 60 senators to advance the bill, and Senate passage would not finish the job. The House has not acted. According to Reuters, Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, and environmental groups have argued that Democrats could pass a more ambitious bill after they take control of both chambers next year. Investment firm TD Cowen said Nov. 4 that Democrats’ election victory likely strengthens those who say the bill gives too many concessions to oil and gas. It cut its forecast for the bill’s success from about 40 percent to about 25 percent.
The government of Guam is not a party to the lawsuits. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero asked the Marine Minerals Administration in an 20 October letter to pause the Marianas sale until Guam has a meaningful say, and her office has said it is evaluating legal options. Guam law bans seabed mining in the island’s territorial waters, but the lease areas lie farther out.
In Honolulu, U.S District Judge Jill Otake has not said when she will rule on Earthjustice’s challenge to the fisheries service’s Endangered Species Act finding for the American Samoa sale. She heard arguments 30 October, and a decision may not come before the sale on Nov. 19. Earthjustice attorney J.V. Langkilde told the Post that if she finds the law was violated in Samoa, “It’s extremely likely then that the Endangered Species Act was violated in the Mariana Islands.”
A second Samoa suit, filed 19 October in U.S District Court in Honolulu, targets the agency running the auction rather than the fisheries service. A council of Manu’a chiefs and two conservation groups, also represented by Earthjustice, named the Marine Minerals Administration and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum as defendants. They ask the court to declare the final leasing notice unlawful and set it aside. The suit argues, among other claims, that the law behind the sale does not authorise mineral leasing off any U.S territory, an argument that also applies to the Marianas. It is separate from the case awaiting Otake’s ruling.
The Senate meets Monday. The Marianas sale is still set for 16 December…. PACNEWS
PAC – WWII AIR BASE: AIRFORCE TIMES PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
U.S Air Force eyes reviving WWII air bases in the Pacific
WASHINGTON, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (AIRFORCE TIMES) — The U.S Air Force hopes to conduct more than 6,000 aircraft operations annually at four airfields on three American islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean, including a major WWII-era airfield that is being refurbished, according to an announcement from the Department of the Air Force.
The department published a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement that will assess “potential social, economic, and environmental effects” of training and operations at Saipan International Airport, Tinian International Airport, Tinian North Field and Rota International Airport. The islands are part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated U.S territory.
The proposed training and exercises will support the Air Force’s Agile Combat Operations concept, which emphasises dispersal of forces across airfields and the ability to maneuver between them while sustaining operations under a range of conditions, with the goal of thwarting an adversary’s ability to shut down those operations by targeting a single base. ACE, as it’s known, has developed largely in response to the Chinese military’s growing reach and expanding missile arsenal.
The notice said the four airfields provide “a unique opportunity” to support ACE, with infrastructure that varies from “fully developed commercial airfields to expeditionary operating locations.” The three islands are within a few dozen nautical miles of each other, which would allow for training that reflects the complexity of distributed operations while reducing transit time between them. They are less than 100 nautical miles north of the major military bases on Guam, another U.S territory, which would support the staging and deployment of forces for those exercises.
The three airfields “collectively provide a training environment that enables [the Air Force] to exercise distributed operations, test and employ tailorable force packages, strengthen sustainment and maneuver capabilities, and enhance operational resilience,” the notice reads.
The environmental impact statement will evaluate the potential effects of the proposed activities, which include small, medium and large trainings and exercises held several times a year for a few weeks at a time and consisting of up to 1,200 fixed-wing and 320 rotary-wing operations, like takeoffs and landings, annually at each airfield. It will also assess an alternative scenario with up to 1,400 fixed-wing and 384 rotary-wing operations per airfield annually and a “No Action Alternative.”
The trainings and exercises would be supported by up to 550,000 gallons of fuel at each airfield, up to 1,000 personnel per airfield, the temporary installation of expeditionary infrastructure, the handling of munitions like chaff and flares, as well as support services and pre-and post-training and exercise activities.
The proposed activity comes after several years of work to upgrade the airfields in question, especially the airfields on Tinian, which were built and heavily used during WWII. North Field was inactive after the war and was largely covered with vegetation when the rehabilitation effort began in late 2023. The Air Force also upgraded port and roadway infrastructure, fuel pipelines and airfield surfaces, and utilities to facilitate expanded operations on Tinian.
The airfield rehabilitation efforts have created some questions among Air Force leaders about resourcing and funding, particularly as the war with Iran has placed new demands on the force. Island residents also have misgivings about the projects. While some welcome the investment that the construction and military operations will bring, others have doubts that the increased activity will really benefit the islands’ populations and that the Pentagon will be transparent about its activity and responsive to local concerns.
The Department of the Air Force will hold public meetings this month on Saipan, Tinian and Rota to get feedback on the proposal, with written comments due by 29 November. The department plans to produce a draft environmental impact statement for public comment in fall 2027 and a final version in mid-2028…. PACNEWS
PAC – COP31/MEDIA: SOLOMON STAR PACNEWS 2: Mon 09 Nov 2026
15 Pacific Journalists to Report COP31
HONIARA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (SOLOMON STAR) — Pacific voices in the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN-FCCC) in Antalya, Turkey will be relayed to the people in the islands.
This is being made possible through the support of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has enabled 15 Pacific journalists to report on the Conference from 9-20 November.
The 15 journalists represent Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Palau, Samoa, Niue, Fiji and New Zealand.
SPREP said the decisions made in Antalya shape the money, rules and emission cuts that decide how safe Pacific communities will be. This is the reason Pacific audiences need reporting on these decisions.
The Pacific heads to Antalya with two declarations, three envoys and a new regional fund already in hand.
The COP31 Pacific Partnership also created three Pacific COP31 Envoys and gives Pacific champions a role in the Action Agenda.
A special session at COP31 will provide a platform for pledges to the Pacific Resilience Facility.
The two Declarations are the Belau Declaration agreed during the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau in September and the Taku Pakasoa during the Pre COP in Nadi, Fiji in October.
In the Belau Declaration, Forum leaders called climate change the single greatest threat to Pacific peoples and demanded faster cuts to fossil fuel emissions, much more climate finance and recognition of the ocean as a cli-mate regulator.
It builds on the ICJ advisory opinions and puts the Pacific Resilience Facility at the centre of regional climate finance.
“Taku Pakasoa” is Tuvaluan for strength found in unity, symbolised by a mother-of-pearl necklace. The declaration warns that every fraction of a degree raises the risk of irreversible loss and damage, reaffirms IPCC science, backs community resilience and locally led action, and reaffirms that state-hood and sovereignty continue despite sea-level rise. Tuvalu has invited other countries to associate themselves with it before COP31.
The Pacific’s three focus areas are keeping 1.5°C within reach, getting finance to the people who need it, and giving the ocean its rightful place.
• We must keep the 1.5°C goal within reach to stay alive and thrive. We must minimise the scale and duration of any overshoot as every fraction of a degree matters to PSIDS.
• The IPCC report is the best available science and underpins the 1.5°C goal. This is reaffirmed by the unanimous ICJ Advisory Opinion.
• PSIDS need new, predictable, accessible and scaled-up grants-based finance. To help de-liver this, we call on countries to support the Pacific Resilience Facility and the Access to Fi-nance for SIDS and LDCs Statement and Action Plan.
• The Special Circumstances of SIDS are enshrined in the Paris Agreement. They must be protected and shape access to finance and other Means of Implementation.
• Ocean action outcomes must be mainstreamed across all negotiations. We have the solutions – efforts to save our ocean for the world need climate finance.
COP31 has two parallel discussions taking place.
1. Formal negotiations led by Australia, where more than 60 decisions are on the table, and
2. The Action Agenda led by Türkiye, which gathers voluntary commitments from governments, cities, business and civil society.
Türkiye’s ten Action Agenda priorities are zero waste, oceans and seas, food security, climate-resilient cities, a climate action implementation bridge, youth and education, green industrialisation, clean energy transition and electrification, Rio Convention synergies, and resilient health systems.
Türkiye says COP31 is the first time zero waste has been included in the COP process, with a focus on cutting waste-sector methane, recycling, landfill management and circular economy. Türkiye recycles about 40 percent of its waste under its national Zero Waste Project.
For Pacific islands, where landfill space is scarce and plastics wash ashore, this opens local stories on SPREP’s regional waste work and on Pacific NDCs that already include waste-sector targets, such as Fiji’s and Palau’s.
The Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion itself will be single-use plastic free, with a waste audit at the end of each day.
There are fourteen Pacific Islands Parties to the UNFCCC, also signatories to the Paris Agreement. They are Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
All are members of the Alliance of Small Islands States currently chaired by the Government of Palau. These Pacific Islands also make up the Pacific Small Islands Developing States (PSIDS) which is currently chaired by the Government of Fiji.
Support for our Pacific Islands at COP31 from members of the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) is through the One CROP mechanism led by the SPREP.
Members of one CROP include: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) – Lead, Pacific Islands Development Programme, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the international treaty for tackling climate change. It was agreed at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and entered into force in 1994. It sets the framework for countries to cooperate on cutting greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate impacts, and it is the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the Convention’s top decision-making body. Every country that is a Party is represented, and the COP meets each year to review progress and adopt decisions. It is the only multilateral forum where almost every country on Earth negotiates climate action together.
Türkiye as a host country, holds the COP Presidency (Murat Kurum) and leads the Action Agenda and the World Leaders’ Summit
Australia is the President of Negotiations (Chris Bowen), with exclusive authority over the negotiations from the end of COP30 to the end of COP31, including drafting negotiation texts.
The Conference ends on 20 November…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – INVESTMENT: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Pacific ministers adopt Port Vila Declaration and call for investment in agrifood solutions
PORT VILA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — Ministers and heads of delegation from Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Friday adopted the Port Vila Declaration on Scaling Pacific Solutions for Resilient Agrifood Systems and launched the Agrifood Investment Platform, issuing a strong call for increased investment to transform agrifood systems across the Blue Pacific.
The Port Vila Declaration reflects a shared Pacific vision for resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. Our countries have demonstrated that solutions already exist. The priority now is to strengthen partnerships and mobilise the investments needed to scale these solutions for the benefit of our communities, economies and future generations,” said the Director General of the Vanuatu Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Biosecurity, Timothy Tumukon.
Co-hosted by the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Forum brought together governments, regional organisations, development partners, international financial institutions, civil society, youth representatives and the private sector under the theme
“Solutions for a Resilient Blue Pacific: Scaling Innovation and Financing Agrifood Systems Transformation.”
Over four days, ministers and technical experts reviewed practical solutions to strengthen food security, nutrition, livelihoods and climate resilience across Pacific SIDS. Discussions highlighted the need to accelerate investment in climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries, improve access to healthy diets, strengthen natural resource management, expand economic opportunities in rural communities, and increase access to finance, infrastructure, technology and markets. Participants also emphasised the importance of partnerships, innovation, digital solutions and stronger regional cooperation to scale proven Pacific-led approaches.
“This Declaration sets a clear pathway for action. Pacific countries have identified practical, innovative and scalable solutions to strengthen food security, nutrition, livelihoods and resilience. What is needed now is greater investment. FAO stands ready to work with governments, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector to help turn these priorities into impactful programmes and investments across the region” said QU Guangzhou, FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands.
The Declaration recognises the unique challenges facing Pacific SIDS, including climate change, geographic isolation, high transportation and energy costs, growing dependence on imported food and increasing rates of diet-related noncommunicable diseases. At the same time, it affirms that Pacific countries are developing innovative, home-grown solutions that combine traditional knowledge with science and technology.
Under the Declaration, ministers committed to strengthening regional cooperation, promoting South-South and Triangular Cooperation, developing bankable investment opportunities, expanding digital and climate services, strengthening seed systems and food reserves, and improving access to climate and development finance. The Declaration also calls on development partners and international financial institutions to increase concessional financing and simplify access to climate funds for SIDS.
To ensure investments are not delivered in isolation, leading to duplication, inefficiency and limited lasting impact, the Agrifood Investment Platform was launched during the Forum. Led by ministers responsible for agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it will bring together regional organisations, development partners and private investors to discuss shared investment priorities, share information, coordinate follow-up and advocate collectively for aligned financing.
As the main mechanism for putting the Pacific SIDS Investment Programme into action, the platform will help move the region from fragmented, short-term projects towards country-owned, results-driven investment in resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, while respecting national decision-making and existing institutional mandates. The Pacific SIDS Investment Programme aims to mobilise USD 4.6 billion in investments by 2040, including a USD 1.05 billion Hand-in-Hand Initiative regional investment pipeline for 2025–2030.
As a next step, ministers agreed to advance the Port Vila Declaration through regional and global platforms, including FAO governing bodies and international climate, biodiversity, ocean and SIDS processes, while working with partners to mobilise resources and implement priority investments identified under the Pacific SIDS Investment Programme…. PACNEWS
VAN – ECONOMY: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Plans to boost tourism and build the economy
PORT VILA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — The government plans to increase tourism’s contribution to Vanuatu’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 16.5 per cent in 2024 to at least 20 per cent by 2027.
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister of Finance and Economic Management, Johnny Koanapo said increasing tourism’s contribution to the economy would create more employment opportunities for ni-Vanuatu, both directly and indirectly, through the tourism industry.
He explained that if the country wants to double tourism’s contribution to the economy, the government must put the necessary strategies and investments in place to support the industry’s growth.
Speaking on the recent arrival of the second Twin Otter aircraft, Koanapo said the government recognised the importance of investing in aviation and restructuring Air Vanuatu to strengthen the country’s air connectivity.
He said the arrival of the aircraft, together with two previously purchased aircraft, would support the operations of the Vanuatu Aircraft Leasing Company, while an ATR aircraft is expected to join the fleet next year.
Koanapo explained that the restructuring arrangements would allow the Government to provide guarantees for the continued growth of the aircraft fleet, ensuring that Vanuatu’s domestic air connectivity is supported through government investment.
He added that Air Vanuatu must continue expanding its Twin Otter operations while ensuring compliance with relevant aviation regulations.
The DPM said serving the tourism industry means serving the people of Vanuatu, adding that the Government wants to develop a high-quality tourism sector that attracts visitors with higher spending capacity.
He said the government has an ambitious target of growing the tourism industry to VT50 billion (US$417.52 million), with tourism growth projected at around 12 per cent annually from 2025.
Koanapo said achieving the target would require strong government commitment and close cooperation with development partners and the private sector.
He also stressed the importance of opening destinations such as Malekula and Santo to more tourism activities, alongside Tanna, to expand the country’s tourism opportunities and attract more visitors to the outer islands.
On international connectivity, Koanapo acknowledged the government’s support for Qantas and Jetstar through subsidies, saying the arrangement would continue to be included in the national budget until Air Vanuatu is in a position to operate its own international services.
He said the Government would later review the existing agreements to create opportunities for Air Vanuatu to operate internationally, adding that discussions on the matter are continuing.
Koanapo also highlighted the need to support smaller airlines and charter operators, including Unity Airlines and Air Taxi, to strengthen domestic aviation services.
He said the government was looking at commercially non-viable routes and working with relevant partners to ensure that different aviation operators could contribute to connecting communities across the country.
He encouraged Air Vanuatu’s directors and chief executive officer to consider partnerships with smaller operators so that scheduled and charter services could complement each other and improve access to destinations.
On Air Vanuatu’s recovery following its liquidation, Koanapo said the airline was gradually rebuilding its operations and improving its services.
He acknowledged the efforts of the management and newly appointed officers, noting that passengers can now make bookings and payments online.
He further explained that the government would step in to cover the costs associated with the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) arrangement, while the relevant agreements would be reviewed before being signed in the near future.
Koanapo said the Vanuatu Aircraft Leasing Company would also work in partnership with Air Vanuatu under the arrangements to support the Government’s aviation and tourism development objectives…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
COP31 should draw on Taiwan’s Pacific climate experience
By Ray Ming-Tse Lu
MELBOURNE, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (THE STRATEGIST) — As Australia prepares to lead negotiations at the 31st UN climate conference, COP31, it should keep Pacific priorities at the centre and reaffirm its longstanding support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international climate cooperation. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has called for a conference focused on implementation and acceleration. Taiwan’s work with Pacific partners fits that aim. When talks open in Antalya on 9 November, island communities facing coastal erosion and water shortages will need commitments that improve daily security.
Pacific leaders have already defined the security challenge. Meeting in Koror this year, they reaffirmed that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and wellbeing of their peoples. At the Pacific Pre-COP, a preparatory meeting in Fiji and Tuvalu last month, leaders adopted the Taku Pakasoa Declaration, which called for improved access to climate finance and stronger community resilience. Climate damage can interrupt essential services and increase pressure on public finances. For Australia, helping Pacific partners manage these risks is part of its regional security interest.
Taiwan also has responsibilities at home. Although not a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, it publishes annual greenhouse gas inventories using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines and reporting methods aligned with the Paris Agreement’s transparency framework. Its latest inventory records net emissions in 2024 at 6.59 percent below the 2005 baseline. Taiwan has approved emissions reduction plans for each sector of the economy for 2026 to 2030 and completed its first round of carbon fee collection in 2026. Implementing these policies and supporting communities through the transition remain demanding tasks.
Taiwan’s work with Pacific partners offers practical experience in adapting technology and development assistance to local needs. Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko has described small, flexible transitional funding from the International Cooperation and Development Fund as a bridge to larger international climate funds. In Tuvalu, Taiwan’s agricultural cooperation has established two water-saving drip irrigation demonstration sites to respond to insufficient rainfall. Under the wider project, more than 112 tonnes of locally grown fruits and vegetables have been produced for schools and communities, alongside training and advisory support for local agricultural personnel.
In Palau, cooperation on coastal fisheries management has produced further practical results. By June 2026, the project had established fisheries monitoring and catch-reporting sites, installed six vessel identification receiving stations and 162 vessel transponders, and brought a fisheries information platform into operation. These are measurable steps in strengthening local resource management, although their longer-term environmental impact will need continued assessment. Taiwan has also pledged US$3 million (A$4 million) over three years to the Pacific Resilience Facility, supporting a Pacific-led approach to community resilience.
In my view, the longer-term value of this work lies in what local institutions can sustain. Equipment needs maintenance, and training has to leave people able to operate that equipment. Communities should help judge whether projects meet their needs. Taiwan’s role as a development partner of the Pacific Islands Forum fits this approach, with priorities set by Pacific governments.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change provides opportunities for countries and organisations to exchange knowledge on adaptation, technology and practical experience. Taiwan has attended COP meetings through the Industrial Technology Research Institute, a non-governmental observer organisation. This existing channel supports professional exchanges, although participation in particular technical meetings remains subject to the relevant procedures and invitations.
Where existing arrangements permit, qualified Taiwanese specialists could contribute experience from Pacific projects to adaptation-related technical workshops and knowledge-sharing activities. They could explain what has worked, what remains difficult and how local partners are maintaining the results. Exchanges with practitioners from other regions could also help improve future projects. More consistent opportunities for such cooperation would strengthen the connection between practical development work and international climate knowledge.
Australia already supports Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations and conferences. It can reaffirm that position at COP31 while respecting the convention’s established procedures. Separately, through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, of which Australia is a member, Australia and Taiwan could support technical exchanges requested by Pacific partners on climate adaptation, local capacity and project maintenance. In 2024, Australia collaborated on a climate adaptation workshop jointly organised by Taiwan and Tuvalu. In September 2026, the Australian Office in Taipei joined Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment and other framework partners in organising a workshop on energy resilience and supply chain security, featuring more than 40 international experts from 28 countries. In October, the Australian Office chaired the framework’s joint committee meeting. Such cooperation would build on existing partnerships without requiring changes to Australia’s policy settings.
For Australia, listening to the Pacific includes helping turn its priorities into work that local institutions can carry forward. Supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international climate cooperation would allow relevant expertise to contribute more consistently to that effort. Pacific partners should continue to guide the agenda and assess what it delivers…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
On eve of COP31, Pacific countries strengthen push for 1.5 to stay Alive
ANTALYA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (SPREP) — The Pacific’s contribution to the fight to defend the integrity of the science from the IPCC on the 1.5⁰C temperature goal for the survival of humanity has brought hundreds of Pacific Leaders, ministers, senior government representatives and officials to Antalya, Türkiye.
From 9-20 November 2026, the One Pacific Voice will feature prominently in negotiation rooms and pavilion spaces at the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where they hope to advance collective action to combat climate change.
Ahead of the official COP31 opening on Monday, Pacific officials are already well into their work, starting with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) preparatory meeting on Thursday and Friday, 5-6 November, followed by the Group of 77 + China preparatory meeting on Saturday and Sunday, 7-8 November.
Türkiye is a long way from home for Pacific officials, many making a three-day journey to be in Antalya, a city along the Turkish Riviera, which sits on Anatolia’s southwest coast, flanked by the Taurus Mountains.
But their presence is critical. COP Meetings gather heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society representatives from around the world to assess progress and negotiate how to tackle climate change, which Pacific Leaders have identified as the greatest existential threat to Pacific communities.
COP31 takes place at a time when Scientists have warned that the world is set to temporarily exceed the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming threshold, according to the Limiting Overshoot Report, by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report warns that above 1.5°C, risks and impacts will intensify with every extra fraction of a degree and every year. Anticipated impacts include intensified extreme weather, ecosystem loss, and submersion of Small Island Developing States and low-lying coastal cities. Severe damage to human health, food security, water supplies, nature, cities, infrastructure, and economies are expected.
Pacific communities unfairly placed at the forefront of these impacts are already experiencing this reality, with a powerful El Niño expected to intensify climate impacts further.
“The possibility of a 1.5 overshoot, in any amount, is catastrophic for our people, our region, and our communities,” said Tagaloa Cooper, SPREP Director Climate Change Resilience. “The magnitude and duration of an overshoot must be minimal for many of our communities to have a liveable future. We have to come back to 1.5C rapidly and we have the technologies and capacity to do so. We just need the political will.”
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), as Chair of the OneCROP, has the mandate as coordinator of Pacific climate change action to lead work on enhancing Pacific engagement at COP31. In Antalya, SPREP is supporting Pacific countries and partners in highlighting Pacific leadership both in the negotiation halls and pavilion spaces, especially at the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion.
“Our Pacific islands played a key role with many others to ensure that 1.5 is enshrined in the Paris Agreement,” said Cooper.
“We’ve worked with others to champion a fund for Loss and Damage, and we continue to amplify our call for 1.5 to stay alive and thrive. Our Pacific will continue to defend the science that underpins and informs our climate policy and actions. This is our message here in Anatalya Türkiye, and what our work in the next two weeks is about.
“Our Pacific environment is our home. It is home to our languages, culture, traditions and as custodians of that home, we are duty bound to protect it.”
The Pacific’s work at COP31 centers around four pillars. They are Keeping 1.5°C within reach, Enhancing access to climate finance, Elevating the ocean-climate nexus and Amplifying Pacific voices and leadership.
Pacific countries arrive in Antalya buoyed by the successful hosting of pre-COP31 by Tuvalu and Fiji, as part of the Australia Pacific COP31 Partnership.
Leaders and negotiators come to Antalya armed with the Taku Pakasoa Declaration endorsed in Fiji which calls on leaders to mobilise the protection for the 1.5 degrees threshold, secure direct, accessible, and grant-based climate finance, protect island states facing existential threats from rising sea levels and bridge the ongoing discrepancy between international climate pledges and real-world execution.
In Antalya, while Türkiye is host, Australia is leading the negotiations, working closely with Pacific countries. Chris Bowen, President of Negotiations for COP31, and Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, acknowledges that COP31 comes at a difficult time for the world.
“Reaching consensus among nearly 200 countries will not be easy but cooperation remains essential. No country can solve climate change alone and we achieve more when countries work together,” he said.
“COP31 will build global momentum, with everyone coming together in Antalya to deliver concrete results.”
For host country Türkiye, COP31 is being dubbed as an implementation COP, with Türkiye promoting initiatives on clean energy, food security, resilient cities, greener industries, oceans and waste reduction.
“This is the first COP where it is clear beyond reasonable doubt that the world will overshoot the 1.5-degree target,” said COP31 President-Designate, Murat Kurum. “We will not look away, and we will not lower our ambition. The 1.5-degree target remains our compass, and our duty is to do everything in our power to return to it.”
COP31 will also launch the second global stocktake, the Paris Agreement’s formal process for assessing collective progress towards its long-term goals…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
1.5 Overshoot Report a call to Action, Alliance of Small Island States at COP31
ANTALYA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (SPREP) — The Limiting Overshoot Report, by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warning that global temperature rise is set to cross 1.5°C, likely within the next few years, pushing climate risks and impacts to increasingly dangerous heights, cannot be an excuse for surrender.
“It must be a wake-up call and above all a call to action,” said Ambassador Ilana Seid, Permanent Representative of Palau to the United Nations.
“The impacts are already intensifying, and I’m deeply concerned by the effects of a supercharged El Nino, including drought throughout parts of the Pacific and the Caribbean, as rising temperatures bring unprecedented challenges to our communities.”
Ambassador Seid was speaking during the COP31 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Preparatory Meeting, facilitated by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). The Government of Palau is the current Chair.
The two-day meeting from 5-6 November, was an opportunity for AOSIS leads and officials on different priority thematic areas to finalise positions and areas of convergence on the eve of two weeks of climate change negotiations. According to Ambassador Seid, COP31 in Turkey is taking place at an extraordinarily complex moment.
“Multilateralism is under intense scrutiny, and the geopolitical landscape is increasingly challenging,” she reminded. “But let’s remember that the geopolitical situation has never been perfect, and if there’s one thing that defines small island developing states is their perseverance, even through the toughest of times.”
The voice of SIDS must always remain the “moral anchor of this COP process,” she reminded.
“We must continue to fight for what’s right because it’s here through multilateralism that our collective strength in numbers matters. It’s here that we have a vital seat at the table. So now more than ever, we must rally harder.”
COP31 is taking place amidst record-breaking global temperatures, escalating climate impacts, severe weather disasters, and growing energy insecurity. In Anatalya, the AOSIS membership are calling for commitments made under the Action Agenda to translate into delivery on the ground for those most affected.
“We must ensure that implementation initiatives deliver measurable results for our countries,” added Ambassador Seid.
“COP31 must be a COP of delivery and implementation, and we need a credible, action-oriented pathway to close the 1.5-degree implementation gap with stronger NDCs, accelerated implementation of the global stocktake against energy commitments, a just transition away from fossil fuels and the climate finance adaptation support, and predictable loss and damage funding that SIDS need to turn commitments into action.”
COP31 follows the successful hosting of pre-COP in Tuvalu and Fiji by the Australian Pacific COP31 Partnership.
As AOSIS Chair, Ambassador Seid said she was deeply encouraged by the opportunities for the COP31 presidencies and leaders to witness firsthand the realities of climate change SIDS have been describing for decades.
“My hope is that this experience translates into tangible outcomes here in Turkey,” said Ambassador Seid. “We can’t afford to lose hope, lose momentum, or lose sight of why we’re here. Let’s draw on our resilience, our solidarity, and our collective strength, and let’s continue to stand together, to speak with one voice, and fight for a future in which our islands and our people can thrive.”
Since 1990, AOSIS has represented the interests of the 39 small island and low-lying coastal developing states in international climate change, sustainable development negotiations and processes.
As a voice for the vulnerable, its mandate is more than amplifying marginalised voices as it also advocates for these countries’ interests. At COP31, this commitment and work continues…. PACNEWS
