PROMISES do not hold back the sea or shield homes from the fire. Only delivery can save us.
These were the strong words of incoming COP31 President and Turkish Minister Murat Kurum as he issued a stark call to action as global leaders gather in Fiji and Tuvalu for the 2026 Pacific Pre-COP meeting.
Emphasising the physical urgency of the climate crisis facing island states, Mr Kurum said the global community was coming to the Pacific to bear witness for how the tide was already pressing against the door.”
The four-day summit, co-hosted by Fiji and Australia alongside a Leaders’ event in Tuvalu, serves as the final major ministerial negotiation before COP31 in Antalya.
Pacific leaders highlighted the critical stakes facing frontline nations at the threshold of rising seas.
Also joining the incoming COP31 presidency call to action is Tuvaluan Climate Change Minister Dr Maina Vakafua Talia.
“Tuvalu is a low-lying atoll nation, just an average of two metres above sea level,” said Dr Maina.
“The decisions we make at Pre-COP and COP31 will be felt by our communities first.”
Fiji’s Minister for Climate Change Lynda Tabuya reaffirmed that low-lying nations will lead the global strategy.
“The Pacific’s influence on global climate action has always been greater than its size,” Ms Tabuya said.
“Pre-COP will put Pacific priorities and solutions at the centre of global discussions and help turn commitments into practical action.”
Australian Climate Minister Chris Bowen reiterated that bringing the ministerial summit directly to the Pacific forces world leaders to confront immediate climate realities, pledging to secure outcomes that build regional resilience.
