Source: SPREP
The Pacific has opened its home at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), with the official launch of Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion and Pacific Delegation Office in Antalya.
With the support from the Australia and New Zealand Governments and managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Pavilion will host a two-week programme of side events, talanoa sessions and exhibitions.
Pacific experts, youth, women, community and indigenous leaders will share what they know from living with the climate crisis every day.
Together with the Pacific Delegation Office, Pacific negotiators have a dedicated space to prepare, coordinate and work together until the conference ends on November 20.
The opening was led by Fiji Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change and Chair of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Hon Lynda Tabuya, alongside Australia Minister for Climate Change and Energy and COP31 President of Negotiations Hon Chris Bowen, New Zealand Ambassador for Climate Change Stuart Coleman, and SPREP Director General Sefanaia Nawadra.
Pacific Ministers, Pacific Special Envoy for Oceans Hon Inia Seruiratu, and heads of delegation joined an evening of performances by Matavai Pacific Cultural Arts and This Is Our Home Band, with prayer and devotion led by Reverend Faaimata Havea Hiliau.
The Pavilion is located at the centre of the COP31 venue, and close to the pavilions of the COP31 Presidency, Türkiye, and the President of Negotiations, Australia.
Director General of SPREP Sefanaia Nawadra thanked New Zealand and Australia for its support with the Pavilion.
The Pavilion began at COP24 in Katowice (Poland), as the Pacific and Koronivia Pavilion, he recalls, and named after the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture that Fiji led and secured at COP23.
“I think there’s a good omen there,” Sefanaia says.
“This time around, we need to get the ocean through as a formal item at COP.
“With our ministers who are here, and our envoy for oceans, we know we will do what we need to do – get oceans onto the formal agenda.”
Minister Tabuya thanked the Matavai performers “for reminding us who we are” and called on the Pacific to bring its heart to the negotiations.
“The ocean, again, is struggling to get on the agenda,” Minister Tabuya says.
“We see the glaciers and the forests have now made it. So where is the ocean, once again? We need to fight for the ocean. Let’s do this for the Pacific. Let’s do this together.”
Minister Bowen says the Pavilion’s place beside the COP presidencies was deliberate.
“It’s right and proper that this year the Moana Pavilion is right here in the centre, next to Australia and Türkiye, where the presidents have their pavilions,” he says.
“We wanted the Moana Pavilion to be right here with us.”
He recalls the Pacific putting 1.5°C on the agenda in Paris.
“Let us never forget, the Pacific insisted 2 degrees is not good enough.
“We must reinforce that commitment and push again for that commitment.
“Oceans, the world’s largest climate regulator, have not received enough attention at COP.
“That changes here at COP31…and it’s not good enough that 0.2 per cent of the world’s climate finance goes to small island developing states for adaptation – that has to change.”
New Zealand Climate Change Ambassador Stuart Coleman has acknowledged SPREP’s vision in conceiving the Pavilion and Australia’s support in creating a space to put Pacific voices at the forefront of climate action at COP31.
“New Zealand has been a long-standing supporter of this Pavilion, and we’re really pleased to continue the partnership here at COP,” Ambassador Coleman says.
He adds the Pre-COP partnership with Fiji and Tuvalu this year had been a special moment in setting out the messages the Pacific wants to send to COP31.
Papua New Guinea camera operators Varia Pekuku Omoa (EM TV) and Wari Ila from National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), along with reporters Alex Dadamu with Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC), and Riya Bhagwan from Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) are in Türkiye, supported by Pasifika TV’s Regional Content Manager Tia Soakai and the SPREP contingent.
The cohort are taking part in the Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL) and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Pre-COP and COP31 Media Programme and will be based at Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion while they report on COP31 events.
The opportunity comes on the back of attending Pre-COP in Fiji and Tuvalu in October, where the realities of climate change were brought into talanoa between international leaders, further reinforcing the Pacific’s unified call for stronger global climate action, and implementation.
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