THIRTY countries have signed the 2026 Taku Pakasoa Declaration during the pre-COP31 Summit.
Confirming this at a pre-COP31 press conference in Nadi yesterday, Ms Tabuya said this was one of the commitments made by the Pacific region as thousands of negotiators, community leaders and civil society groups worked together to turn the region’s priorities into concrete action.
“The endorsement of the Taku Pakasoa Declaration by 30 regions will mobilise the protection of the 1.5 Degrees threshold,” she said.
Ms Tabuya said other agreements reached this week include the integration of the Ocean Agenda into the United Nations framework and commitment of real capital or money to fund the change the Pacific needed.
“From Fiji, the $US10million funding for the Pacific Resilience Facility which will deliver grants straight to local hands to build seawalls, deliver clean water and protect homes before the climate hits,” said Ms Tabuya.
“Next, Fiji’s five-year costed carbon market plan. Resource owners have been asking this from us for many years and finally it is happening. This will open new sources of climate finance for renewable energy and the protection of natural ecosystems.”
In Tuvalu earlier this week, the 2026 Taku Pakasoa Declaration was signed by regional leaders led by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Fiji’s PM Sitiveni Rabuka.
Through the declaration, the leaders emphasised the protection of the 1.5 Degrees goal and maintaining the global commitment signed under the Paris Agreement.
The leaders also called on all Parties to the Paris Agreement to accelerate collective action in this critical decade to keep 1.5°C within reach and urged parties who have yet to submit their 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to do so as soon as possible.
