Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Baron Waqa reminded leaders at COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan that for Pacific Island nations, climate change poses the single greatest existential threat to survival.

He said the rising sea levels in the blue Pacific Ocean endanger lives, culture and traditions.

“We save the Pacific; we save the world. Let us not leave here with the future of our Blue Planet hanging in the balance.”

Waqa said the 1.5-degree goal in the Paris Agreement represents a critical threshold in the Pacific’s fight for survival.

“The reality is that we need substantial and timely climate finance to protect our small island developing states,” he said.

He said PICs expect the New Collective Quantified Goal to offer accessible, simplified funding that reflects our unique circumstances.

While delivering the high level statement, the Secretary General said the Pacific Resilience Facility, a Pacific-led solution to address the issue of access to climate finance, is set to be operational in 2026.

He acknowledged partners who have generously committed to supporting this Facility.

Waqa added that the contributions are not just financial; they are a lifeline for the Pacific’s future, and invited additional contributions to strengthen the regions’ collective efforts.

“Financial support alone cannot save our planet without tackling the root causes of climate change. For us in the Pacific, transitioning from fossil fuel must be just and equitable to prevent unfair burdens on our communities.”

He also highlighted that Forum Leaders welcome the opportunity to co-host a Pacific COP31 in Australia.

Waqa said the partnership will allow the Pacific to welcome the world to our shores and underscore the urgent threat climate change poses to our communities and our future.

Note : This story was produced as part of the 2024 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.