Leaders and delegates from countries including Australia, Germany, Nepal and Pacific nations began climate meetings in Fiji on Monday to discuss the threat of climate change to small island nations.

These meetings are a curtain-raiser for the annual United Nations climate summit known as COP31, being held in Turkey (also called Türkiye) in early November. Australia is jointly hosting and leading these Pacific climate meetings with Fiji, as part of a compromise deal struck at last year’s COP30 with Turkey.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Fiji on Monday afternoon, and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen promised $7.29 million towards the region’s renewables transition. Local media reports suggest a Pacific declaration could be made calling for fair representation in climate governance for small island states and guaranteed funding.

This might officially only be a pre-COP meeting, but it feels more like an Oceania COP. As of Sunday evening, there were almost 600 people registered as official country negotiators, and another 2,560 at the event from civil society, academic, activist and community groups. As well as Albanese and Bowen, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and New Zealand’s former leader Jacinda Ardern will speak.

Australia’s engagement with the Pacific

Australia has a national interest in being the security partner of choice for Pacific countries. When the Solomon Islands signed a........

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