Pacific leaders urge youth involvement and health focus ahead of COP31

Pacific leaders and health officials are emphasizing the urgent need for regional action and youth involvement ahead of the COP31 climate summit. At the Regional Conference of Youth on Climate Change Oceania 2026 in Suva, Fiji’s Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, announced that young people will hold direct roles in Fiji’s official COP31 delegation. Rather than serving merely as observers, youth nominees from the Pacific Youth Council and the National Youth Council of Fiji will act as party overflow delegates with specific responsibilities in preparations and negotiations.

Simultaneously, at the second Pacific Conference on Health and Climate Change in Nadi, Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa warned that climate change is already actively impacting Pacific communities. Ravunawa noted that extreme weather events, such as cyclones and floods, are damaging health facilities and disrupting essential medical services.

To address these challenges, officials are calling for increased climate finance specifically targeted at the health-climate nexus and the strengthening of resilient health systems. The outcomes from these regional discussions are intended to shape a unified Pacific position for upcoming Pre-COP31 dialogues and the global summit.