"We are the people of the sea, and we remind the world that our survival is your survival; if the front line falls, the rest of the world will surely follow."
The Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Hon. Alitia Bainivalu served as a clarion call to the international community at the 3rd Bali Ocean Days Conference and Showcase.
Minister Bainivalu addressed a global assembly of policymakers, innovators, and coastal stewards, framing the Pacific’s struggle not as a distant crisis, but as a diagnostic instrument of planetary distress that demands immediate, regenerative action.
The 3rd Bali Ocean Days (BOD) Conference, held at the InterContinental Bali Resort from January 30-31, 2026, has marked a significant shift from ocean ambition to measurable implementation.
Under the theme “Navigating Solutions for a Regenerative Ocean Future,” the summit brought together leaders from archipelagic and island states to address the systemic socio-ecological threats posed by a warming and acidifying Earth system.
In her keynote address during the inaugural session, “Archipelagic & Island States on the Front Lines of Climate Change,” Minister Bainivalu emphasised that for nations like Fiji, climate change is a present-tense crisis restructuring the material foundations of sovereignty.
She highlighted that more than 90% of Fiji’s population resides in narrow coastal strips, making sea-level rise—occurring at rates exceeding global averages—a direct threat to infrastructure, food security, and cultural identity.
The Minister outlined Fiji’s proactive response to these challenges, showcasing nature-based solutions as scientifically validated and culturally consonant mechanisms for adaptation.
These initiatives include the restoration of mangroves and seagrass meadows to serve as blue carbon reservoirs and “living infrastructure”.
Furthermore, Fiji is investing in climate-smart aquaculture to strengthen food security while alleviating pressure on wild fish stocks.
The conference also featured a results-driven “Eco Showcase,” where companies and NGOs displayed real-world technologies for ocean health. Exhibitors marketed a range of products, from water filtration systems and waste-to-fuel innovations to community-based coral reef restoration techniques.
As the summit concluded, the message from Fiji and its regional partners was one of ethical accountability and global solidarity.
By advocating for equitable climate finance and the recognition of ocean-based solutions, Minister Bainivalu reminded the world that the fate of island nations is inextricably linked to the fate of the global climate project.
“If island nations are empowered to lead,” she concluded, “humanity inherits one of its most credible pathways to a resilient future”.