SUVA, FIJI – Indigenous communities worldwide are on the frontline of the climate crisis, experiencing its impacts first-hand long before they reach broader population, according to Professor Joshua Cooper, a leading voice on human rights and climate justice.
Professor Cooper, an academic, author, analyst and activist based in Hawaii, delivered this stark assessment during a guest lecture at the Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CAFF) at the Koronivia Campus recently.
His address focused on Human Rights, Sustainable Development and Climate Justice in the Pacific Region, as Fiji prepares to host the Pre-Conference of the Parties (Pre-COP) 31 from 5 to 9 October 2026.
“For the indigenous people in the world, no matter where they live, they are on the frontline of the climate crisis,” Professor Cooper stated.
He emphasised that the crisis is not a distant threat but a present reality for Pacific communities.
“The truth is that the climate crisis which the world is trying to solve is here now and the people in the Pacific are facing its impacts. It’s mainly the indigenous people who feel the impact first and see climate change take place from the water we drink to the land on which we live upon.”
From an academic standpoint, Professor Cooper highlighted the disproportionate vulnerability of indigenous knowledge systems and traditional livelihoods.
“Indigenous peoples have long maintained a profound, intergenerational relationship with their environments, rooted in sustainable practices that predate modern industrialisation. Yet, these very communities are disproportionately exposed to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, salinisation of freshwater sources, and the erosion of ancestral lands,” he observed.
“Academically, we must recognise that climate change is not merely an environmental issue; it is fundamentally a human rights and justice concern. The erosion of indigenous territories disrupts cultural continuity, food security, and sovereign rights to self-determination. Empirical observations from across the Pacific demonstrate that what begins as localised impacts—contaminated water supplies or inundated coastal gardens—quickly escalates into existential threats for entire communities.”
Professor Cooper stressed the interconnectedness of environmental degradation and human rights frameworks.
“From a scholarly perspective, the climate crisis exacerbates existing inequalities. Indigenous people, often stewards of the most biodiverse regions, are bearing the costs of global emissions largely generated elsewhere. This reality demands a decolonised approach to climate policy—one that centres indigenous knowledge alongside scientific data.”
As the main discussions at Pre-COP 31 centre on saving the planet, Professor Cooper views the event as a critical platform for the Pacific.
“This will be a great opportunity for Fiji and the rest of the Pacific to articulate and share their priorities at the global agenda.The Pacific has the first chance to shape what will be decided at the COP 31 agenda in Antalya, Turkey, in November this year,” he said.
He urged greater integration of indigenous perspectives into international negotiations saying “The Pacific’s lived experience offers invaluable insights that must inform the global response—from mitigation strategies that respect traditional ecological knowledge to adaptation measures that uphold human rights.”
Professor Cooper’s lecture underscored the urgency for meaningful action ahead of COP 31 noting that “Indigenous frontline communities are not just victims; they are essential knowledge holders whose voices must guide equitable and effective climate governance.”
FNU’s Koronivia Campus, a hub for agricultural, fisheries and forestry studies, provided an apt setting for the discussion, linking academic inquiry with practical regional challenges.