Pacific Islands Lead Climate Charge Ahead of COP31

Fiji and Tuvalu will host key meetings leading up to the COP31 climate summit in 2026, according to the Pacific Islands Forum. The agreement allows these islands to facilitate discussions crucial to climate change, granting Australia and Turkey divided hosting responsibilities for the main event.

Fiji and Tuvalu have been announced as hosts for pivotal meetings ahead of the COP31 climate summit in 2026. This decision was reported by the Pacific Islands Forum on Thursday. Under an agreement brokered between Australia and Turkey, Fiji will hold the pre-COP31 meeting while Tuvalu will manage a special leaders' component.

The lower-lying Pacific islands are bearing the brunt of global climate change, with rising sea levels prompting some residents to relocate to higher ground. Initially, Australia and Turkey vied to host the U.N. conference that serves as the primary platform for propelling climate action, eventually opting for a shared hosting arrangement last November.

The recently announced hosting rights for Fiji and Tuvalu underscore the broader inclusion of Pacific voices in global climate discussions. Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, emphasized the importance of these meetings as a significant opportunity for the international community to witness direct impacts and hear solutions from Pacific nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)