Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) foreign ministers have reaffirmed that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and wellbeing of Pacific peoples, throwing their full support behind Australia’s bid to host the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) as a “Pacific COP” in 2026.
In a statement, ministers recalled the Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the Kainaki II Declaration for Urgent Climate Change Action Now, stressing that the climate crisis is a critical barrier to achieving the Forum Leaders’ 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“We call on all nations to urgently respond to the climate crisis,” the communiqué said, underscoring the region’s push to keep global warming within 1.5C.
The ministers pledged to champion the needs of countries most vulnerable to climate change and to accelerate practical action in line with the Paris Agreement. They highlighted the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility as an example of Pacific-led solutions to global challenges, describing it as a decisive step toward a more resilient future for the region.
The statement also highlighted regional leadership through the creation of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), described as a “decisive step” toward resilience for Pacific communities.
The PRF is a Pacific-owned and led, self-sustaining financing mechanism designed to quickly deliver grant-based support for disaster preparedness and climate adaptation—particularly among women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups—without adding to national debt.
The facility has already attracted initial funding pledges, and ministers emphasized efforts to reach a target capitalisation of US$500 million by COP31.
The ministers’ meeting also comes amid broader geopolitical shifts in the Pacific: recent exclusion of major dialogue partners—such as the US, China and Taiwan—from the forthcoming Pacific Islands Forum leaders' summit underscores the fragile balance between unity and growing external tensions.
Meanwhile, earlier reports raised concerns over Australia’s credibility as a climate partner, following its extension of a major gas project, which Pacific critics say contradicts its climate ambitions even as they support its COP31 bid .
Amid these challenges, Pacific leaders are presenting a united front through bold climate diplomacy and regional institutions like the PRF, hoping to shape international discussions on climate justice in ways that prioritise frontline island nations
