For people living across the Pacific, climate change is becoming an everyday reality, affecting homes, food supplies, livelihoods and coastal communities.

At a high-level UN climate event in New York, Fiji’s President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu urged world leaders to take stronger action to protect communities facing the impacts of a warming planet.

Speaking at the Climate Summit 2026, held alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly, President Lalabalavu called for stronger national climate plans, funding that is accessible to small island states and adaptation projects that deliver clear results.

He said even a small increase in global temperatures could have serious consequences for Pacific communities, potentially forcing some people to move from their homes.

“Half a degree is not a rounding error. For us, it is the difference between adaptation and relocation,” he said.

The President also invited world leaders to visit the Pacific and see firsthand how communities are dealing with rising seas and other climate impacts.

For people on the frontlines of the climate crisis, Fiji’s message was clear: international promises need to be followed by action that can be seen and felt in their communities.