The Pacific has come to global climate discussions seeking firm commitments, accessible finance and measurable action.
His Excellency the President, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, placed the realities confronting Fiji and the wider Pacific at the centre of discussions at the High-level Event on Climate Action and the Just Transition, held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Convened by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the Climate Summit 2026 brought together representatives from major economies, developed and developing countries, climate-vulnerable nations, and major energy producers and consumers to accelerate the energy transition, advance climate justice and protect people from the worsening climate crisis.
President Lalabalavu warned that climate change is already threatening food security, livelihoods and the future of coastal communities and that even a small increase in global temperatures carries life-changing consequences for Pacific communities.
“Half a degree is not a rounding error. For us, it is the difference between adaptation and relocation.”
President Lalabalavu called for stronger national climate plans aligned with the 1.5-degree target, climate finance that is disbursed and accessible to the smallest states, and adaptation initiatives that deliver measurable results through protected coastlines, secure food supplies and safe water.
“The carbon we burn today stays in the sky for centuries. The atmosphere does not negotiate,” the President stated.
The Head of State invited global leaders to visit the Pacific and witness firsthand the realities faced by communities living with rising seas. The invitation reinforced Fiji’s message that the region remains committed to working with the international community but expects global commitments to be matched by action.
“The people of the Pacific are not asking for sympathy. We are asking for performance,” President Lalabalavu said.
