Opinion | Why we must follow Pacific Islands’ lead on climate change

The Pacific Islands are often portrayed through picture-perfect beaches and sunsets, but beneath these scenes of paradise lies the perilous threat posed by climate change.

In 2021, Tuvalu Foreign Minister Simon Kofe delivered a speech to the COP26 UN climate summit while thigh-deep in water. He said straight to the world, “we are sinking”. Despite the urgent call for action, the voice of an island nation of about 11,000 people can easily get lost in the traditional halls of power.

However, this is not a journey that Tuvalu walks alone as the Pacific has a proud history of working together to beat shared challenges. Since its establishment in 1971, the Pacific Islands Forum stands as a cornerstone of political and economic cooperation among its 18 member countries.

As custodians of nearly 20 per cent of the Earth’s surface, the Pacific Islands are home to diverse cultures and unique ecosystems. Despite their minimal contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, the region’s countries face a disproportionately heavy burden from some of the most severe effects of climate change. These include rising sea levels and increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters whose damage is exacerbated by these countries’ low-lying geography.

The Pacific Islands Forum continues to lead the region’s response in the face of these adversities, with the flow of official development assistance providing a crucial lifeline for economic development, disaster resilience and overall well-being. Last month’s meeting underscored the forum’s critical role in securing a sustainable and prosperous future for the Pacific, as envisioned in its 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. This year’s theme, “Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now”, is a call for action.