PICAN calls on world leaders to hold the line on 1.5°C at COP31
Pacific climate network urges governments to turn commitments made at Pre-COP31 into meaningful action on fossil fuels, climate finance and justice.
ANTALYA, TÜRKİYE, 6 NOVEMBER 2026 — As the world prepares to gather in Antalya for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) is calling on governments to carry the commitments made on Pacific shores into the negotiating rooms, where the future of the 1.5°C survival threshold and the credibility of global climate action will be tested.
Just weeks ago, the Pacific welcomed world leaders and negotiators to Fiji and Tuvalu for PreCOP31, placing the region’s priorities at the centre of international climate discussions. The meetings reaffirmed the urgency of protecting 1.5°C, accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, delivering accessible climate finance and safeguarding the ocean.
Now, as negotiations move from the Pacific to Türkiye, PICAN says governments must demonstrate the political will to turn those commitments into decisions that deliver for communities already living with the consequences of climate change.
Dr Sindra Sharma, PICAN's International Policy Lead, said:
“The Pacific has been clear about what we need from the world. We need urgent action to keep 1.5°C within reach, a just and equitable phaseout of fossil fuels, and decisions grounded in the best available science. These are fundamental to the survival and future of our communities.
“We are deeply concerned by the growing willingness to treat exceeding 1.5°C as an acceptable pathway. Every fraction of warming matters, and even temporarily crossing that threshold carries consequences that cannot simply be reversed. For Pacific peoples, those consequences are measured in the loss of our lands, ecosystems, livelihoods and cultural heritage. We cannot afford a COP that lowers ambition when the science demands greater urgency."
PICAN enters COP31 with its Pacific Climate Justice Demands 2026, which set out five red lines grounded in the rights, experiences and aspirations of Pacific communities. These demands, which center on 1.5C and our right to science, call for an end to false solutions, the phaseout of fossil fuels, protection from extractive industries, the defence of the living planet, and recognition that some losses caused by climate change can never be reduced to a monetary value.
The network is also calling for climate finance that is accessible, predictable and responsive to the needs of Pacific communities, particularly those facing escalating climate impacts despite contributing the least to the crisis.
The Pacific’s expectations are reinforced by the outcomes of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau, the Pacific-hosted Pre-COP31 and the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change.
Dr James Viernes, Principal Advisor, Strategy and Regional Affairs, said:
“We welcomed the world to our shores in Fiji and Tuvalu, where our leaders and communities made clear what is at stake for the Pacific. The commitments made there must now follow governments into the negotiating rooms in Antalya. Our region has done its part in setting the agenda. It is time for the international community to match that leadership with action.
“The Pacific has consistently called for a future where our peoples, cultures and ocean can thrive. That future requires governments to move beyond declarations and deliver meaningful emissions reductions, accessible climate finance and a transition away from fossil fuels. We cannot continue to negotiate the terms of our survival while the causes of this crisis are allowed to persist.”
With the second Global Stocktake beginning at COP31, the decisions made in Antalya will help shape how the international community assesses progress and responds to the widening gap between climate commitments and action.
For PICAN, the ambition that was reaffirmed on Pacific shores must not be lost as negotiations move to Antalya.
ENDS
Note to Editors
PICAN representatives are already on the ground in Antalya, Türkiye, and are available for media interviews and commentary throughout COP31.
For more information on PICAN’s COP31 engagement, including our priorities, policy updates and media resources, visit our COP31 Hub at www.pican.org/cop31 or reach out to media contact listed below
About PICAN
PICAN is a regional alliance of 320+ 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 (on the ground in Antalya)
dylan.kava@pican.org | +679 9061989 (Antalya / GMT+3)
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