Pacific Island nations need ‘substantial finance’ to combat climate change - Baron Waqa

Speaking at the United Nations climate summit COP29 in Azerbaijan on Thursday, PIF secretary-general Baron Waqa said climate change poses the single greatest existential threat to the survival of Pacific Islands.

"The reality is that we need substantial and timely climate finance to protect our small island developing states," he said while delivering a statement during the high-level segment of the meeting.

"With this in mind, here at COP29, we expect the New Collective Quantified Goal to offer accessible, simplified funding that reflects our unique circumstances."

Waqa said the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is a Pacific-led solution to address the issue of access to climate finance, is set to be operational in 2026, and invited contributions to the facility.

He said rising sea levels in the Pacific Ocean "endanger our lives, our culture, and traditions."

He added that the 1.5-degree goal in the Paris Agreement represents a critical threshold in island nations' fight for survival.

"Financial support alone cannot save our planet without tackling the root causes of climate change.

"For us in the Pacific, transitioning from fossil fuels must be just and equitable to prevent unfair burdens on our communities.

The former Nauru president said the Pacific is at the forefront of the climate crisis, and "For this reason, our leaders welcome the opportunity to co-host a Pacific COP31 in Australia."

"This partnership will allow us to welcome you all to our shores and underscore the urgent threat climate change poses to our communities and our future."

- RNZI