Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr Sivendra Michael says Fiji's hosting of the Pre-COP31 meeting would provide an opportunity to ensure the voices of Pacific nations were at the centre of global climate negotiations.
Speaking in a video released by the Fiji Government, Dr Michael says while COP meetings were held annually, COP31 is a moment of profound consequence for the Pacific as climate change continues to threaten the region.
He says Fiji, a nation of more than 300 islands in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, is already experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change, including more intense tropical cyclones, saltwater intrusion affecting crops and sea levels rising faster than the global average.
Dr Michael says Pacific people, who have contributed very little to the global climate crisis, are among those suffering its worst consequences.
He warns that the internationally recognised 1.5-degree Celsius temperature goal is on the verge of being breached and that how the world responds would determine the survival of many vulnerable nations.
Dr Michael says if countries fail to accelerate decarbonisation and respond to the expected temperature overshoot, the impacts on vulnerable communities would be far-reaching.
On behalf of the Fiji Government, he has pledged Fiji's full support to the incoming COP31 Presidency, saying although the Pacific, Australia and Türkiye are separated by geography, they are united in ensuring COP31 became a summit focused on delivering meaningful outcomes rather than delaying action.
He says Fiji will work closely with Australia and Türkiye to ensure the Pre-COP meeting in Fiji became a bridge that brings the voices of the world's most vulnerable communities directly into international climate negotiations.
Dr Michael says there are three key priorities that COP31 had to deliver.
He says the first is stronger global mitigation efforts to keep the 1.5-degree target alive by accelerating the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions.
The second priority is ensuring climate finance became more accessible to vulnerable countries and communities requiring action at scale.
Dr Michael says the third priority is recognising the ocean as the world's greatest climate ally by embedding ocean-climate action into the formal climate regime and strengthening marine protection and sustainable ocean economies.
He says the Pacific cannot afford incremental progress and is continuing to strengthen partnerships and collaboration to drive climate action at the scale required.
Fiji will host the official Pre-COP31 climate meeting from 5th to 8th October in Nadi.
Fiji will host the official Pre-COP31 climate meeting from 5th to 8th October in Nadi.
