Pre-COP climate summit puts Pacific islands in focus

Pacific leaders are set to put island climate risks at the centre of pre-COP talks starting Monday in Fiji, with a smaller-than-hoped group of ministers, negotiators and leaders gathering before next month's COP31 summit in Turkey.

The talks in the Fijian city of Nadi and on Tuvalu are expected to focus on Pacific demands to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C, improve access to climate finance and give more attention to the impact of climate change on oceans.

A UN report released in August said sea level is rising at a record pace because of warming oceans and glacier melt. It said up to 1.2 billion people could be displaced by 2050, and that Pacific island countries are experiencing sea level rise at twice the global average.

The same UN report said developing countries need $310 billion to $365 billion to adapt, while $26 billion in adaptation finance was available in 2023.

Fijian Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya said the gathering would put Pacific priorities and solutions at the centre of global discussions and help turn commitments into action.

Australia said last month that 4,000 people from 60 nations would attend, but officials have said the list of world leaders will be limited. Fewer than a dozen leaders have publicly confirmed they will attend.

Events are due to begin at 9:00 am local time Monday in Nadi with an opening ceremony, followed by workshops and panel discussions. Senior delegates are also due to hold a one-day retreat in low-lying Tuvalu.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo told the UN General Assembly before the talks that sea-level rise was already a present reality. Funafuti, Tuvalu's island capital, has a highest point of two metres above sea level, and two of its nine coral atolls are already largely swamped by rising waters.

Australia is leading the climate talks in partnership with the Pacific, but activists have accused it of double talk because it is also a major coal exporter. Australian Climate Minister Chris Bowen has said the country is rapidly expanding renewable energy sources.