Pacific Island leaders met in Nadi, Fiji, on Monday to initiate pre-COP31 discussions, setting the stage for the upcoming United Nations climate summit scheduled for next month in Turkey. The regional meetings, which span across Fiji and Tuvalu, are centered on three primary objectives: limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius, securing better access to international climate finance, and implementing strategies to protect ocean health.

The urgency of these talks is underscored by the immediate threat posed by rising sea levels to Pacific communities. Leaders are working to coordinate their policy demands to ensure that the specific vulnerabilities of island nations are prioritized during the broader negotiations in Turkey. While the focus remains on environmental preservation and economic support, the discussions also serve as a platform for Pacific nations to exert collective influence on global climate policy. The meetings are expected to produce a formal agenda that these nations will present to the international community, emphasizing that for many in the region, climate change is an existential crisis rather than a long-term policy goal.