Saturday 22nd March, 2025
Nadi, Fiji- Pacific Political Climate Champions convened in Fiji from the 18th to the 20th March, for a post-COP29 debrief in a Talanoa-style dialogue with National and Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) technical advisors and facilitated through a One CROP-supported mechanism, with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) as the lead coordinator of the Champions initiative alongside the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Community (SPC).
The debrief provided a platform for discussions on lessons learned from COP29 and previous UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COPs), enhancing engagement and increasing visibility for the Champions’ advocacy work, as well as focusing on refining the role of the Pacific Political Climate Champions in key areas of influence.
The six Political Champions who attended the debriefwere Hon. Biman Prasad, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister (Thematic Area: Oceans- Climate Nexus); Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change, Energy, Meteorology, Geohazards, Environment and Disaster Management (Thematic Area: Loss & Damage); Hon. Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister of Local Government, Climate Change and Environment (Thematic Area: Just Transition); Hon. Bremity Lakjohn, Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister in Assistance to the President/Environment (Thematic Area: Adaptation); Hon. Mona Ainuu, Niue Minister of Natural Resources (Thematic Area: Gender and Social Inclusion); and Hon. Cedric Schuster, Samoa’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (Thematic Area: Mitigation).
In his welcome remarks, PIFS Secretary General, Baron Divavesi Waqa, emphasised the importance of the advocacy work of the Pacific Political Climate Champions being vital today, given the global shift of focus away from climate change.
“We all can agree that Climate Change has always lacked consistent and strong global political leadership. Within this gap, our Pacific Leaders have been and continue to be recognized and acknowledged for their moral leadership. This is more critical now, more than ever, given the current global political dynamics we are in today, with a deviation away from the focus on climate change.”
He continued, “The Pacific Political Climate Champions is one initiative that can continue to be the bridge between the political advocacy and technical negotiations where required.”
The debrief additionally allowed for identifying opportunities to strengthen the Champion’s Roles and Responsibilities building on the experience sharing from Champions. The current group of Political Champions have completed their 2 year term and Member nominations will soon be sought to form a new cohort of Champions.
The Pacific Political Climate Champions was initiated in 2021 as a means to help elevate Pacific priorities at the political level during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COPs.
The Pacific Political Climate Champions is a One CROP supported mechanism with PIFS as lead coordinator and supported by the governments of Australia and New Zealand.
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Media contact: media@forumsec.org
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