55PIFLM: Pacific Leaders hold firm on climate as pressure grows across the region
5 September 2026 | Koror, Palau — As Pacific Leaders conclude the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting (PIFLM55) in Palau, the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) welcomes an outcome that keeps climate change firmly at the centre of the regional agenda, but says strong political ambition must now translate into action.
Central to the climate outcome is Leaders’ endorsement of the BELAU Declaration for Urgent and Inclusive Climate Action to Keep 1.5°C Within Reach, which reinforces the region’s commitment to 1.5°C and strengthens Pacific positions on transitioning away from fossil fuels, climate finance and the ocean-climate nexus as the region heads towards Pre-COP31 and COP31.
Dr James Viernes, Principal Advisor – Strategy and Regional Affairs at PICAN, says:
“The Leaders’ final communiqué sends an important signal at a time when intensifying geopolitical, security and economic pressures are competing for regional attention. Leaders have held the line on climate change as the single greatest threat to Pacific peoples, while strengthening the region’s collective position on keeping 1.5°C within reach.
“The challenge now is delivery. Pacific communities cannot live on declarations. The commitments on transitioning away from fossil fuels, climate finance and protecting our ocean have to translate into action that matches the scale and urgency of the crisis we face.”
The clearest test of that delivery is twofold. Firstly, leaders must match their commitment to transition away from fossil fuels by ending the expansion of fossil fuel production, and whether they deliver climate finance at the scale and speed Pacific communities need. Continued fossil fuel expansion, including by Australia, remains fundamentally at odds with the region’s commitment to keeping 1.5°C within reach.
Climate finance is the other side of that equation. We welcome the emphasis on grants, non-debt creating instruments and simplified and direct access, but success must be measured by whether finance actually reaches Pacific communities without increasing their debt burden. Pacific communities need both an end to the activities driving the climate crisis and the resources to respond to impacts they are already experiencing.
We are also concerned that the ambition shown on climate and ocean protection is not matched by the regional position on deep-sea mining. Despite recognising the ocean as central to Pacific sovereignty, security, prosperity, culture and identity, Leaders establish no regional moratorium or clear environmental red line on deep-sea mining.
Dr Viernes says:
“We cannot call for stronger protection of the Blue Pacific while leaving the door open to deep-sea mining. Our ocean is our sovereignty, our food security, our culture and our future. Until the science can demonstrate that deep-sea mining will not cause irreversible harm, precaution must come first.”
As the Pacific moves towards Pre-COP31 and COP31, the test is now whether the ambition expressed in Palau becomes action that protects Pacific peoples, communities and the ocean we depend upon.
ENDS
About PICAN
PICAN is a regional alliance of 290+ non-government organisations, civil society organisations, social movements and not-for-profit organisations from the Pacific Islands region working on various aspects of climate change, disaster risk and response, and sustainable development.
Media Contact:
Dylan Kava, Strategic Communications Lead, PICAN
dylan.kava@pican.org | +679 9061989 (Palau / GMT+9)
Comments