Pacific island leaders have insisted that a global agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, made at a 2023 UN summit in Dubai, must not be renegotiated. This call was made during a gathering in Tuvalu, aimed at building momentum before the Cop31 climate summit.
Approximately 50 dignitaries, including 14 national heads such as Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, climate change ministers, and heads of global agencies, visited the low-lying atoll nation. The visit sought to highlight the challenges faced by countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis.
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stated that the transition away from fossil fuels was agreed upon by all in Dubai and is not a new request. Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo emphasised the need for faster access to global climate funding for island states to address worsening extreme weather events.
Thirteen-year-old student Melelusi Sokotia shared that her friends dream of growing up safely in Tuvalu, while Tuvalu's director of climate change, Jamie Ovia, highlighted the increasing risk of flooding and potential economic damage from rising sea levels.