Asia-Pacific Youth Environment Forum in Fiji urged to set actionable priorities for governments
Environment and Climate Change Minister Mosese Bulitavu told youth delegates at the Asia-Pacific Youth Environment Forum 2025 in Nadi, Fiji, that the platform should be used to press governments to act now on pressing environmental priorities. In his opening remarks, he described the forum as a display of a shared commitment to a sustainable future and said the participants would craft the Asia-Pacific Youth Manifesto 2025 and an accompanying outcome document.
Bulitavu emphasized that the documents are not symbolic, but powerful tools intended to be delivered to environment ministers, senior officials, and decision-makers across the region. He noted that the outcomes would feed into the seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) and influence regional processes such as the Asia-Pacific Senior Officials Meeting, the Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum, and the Ministerial Forum. “In other words, the work you do here in Nadi will echo in regional and global halls of power,” he said.
The minister pointed to UNEA-7’s theme, Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet, as an urgent prompt to rethink current environmental stewardship. He reminded youth delegates that they represent the promise of tomorrow and the resolve to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—challenges that directly affect the communities they serve. Policymakers were urged to create avenues for youth voices to be heard and for their ideas to be integrated into decision-making. “You are the stewards of the future; it is our duty to empower and support you as you forge a more sustainable planet,” Bulitavu stated.
The forum in Nadi is a side event to the Sixth Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of the Asia-Pacific region. It runs this week at the Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa, bringing together more than 100 youth delegates from across Asia and the Pacific, along with policymakers and environmental authorities. The gathering marks a historic moment as the first time the forum has been hosted in the Pacific, underscoring Fiji’s leadership in regional environmental diplomacy. The central outcome will be the Asia-Pacific Youth Manifesto 2025, with its conclusions expected to influence UNEA-7 discussions and broader regional policy directions.
Delegates are encouraged to define clear policy changes, specify instruments, set timelines, and establish measurable indicators of success. They are also urged to identify enabling actions and articulate risks and risk management strategies. The event’s emphasis on youth-led innovation and inclusive governance aligns with regional efforts to build more resilient climate and biodiversity strategies, and to foster transparent channels showing how youth recommendations are considered in policy-making.
What to watch next
– The Asia-Pacific Youth Manifesto 2025, and potential follow-on through regional forums and UNEA-7 inputs.
– How Fiji and regional partners report on which recommendations are adopted or rejected, reinforcing accountability in youth-government collaboration.
– The broader trajectory of youth involvement in environmental governance and the mobilization of funding and technical support for youth-led initiatives.
Context and outlook
The forum is part of a broader regional push to engage youth voices in environmental governance, with regional leaders emphasizing real financing, accountability for polluters, and inclusive decision-making. The event is seen as a step toward aligning regional actions with global environmental goals, including MEAs and the SDGs, while highlighting mechanisms to access climate finance and implement on-the-ground projects.
Overall, the gathering signals a positive momentum for integrating youth perspectives into regional and global climate and biodiversity strategies. By translating ambitious proposals into concrete actions and partnerships, the Asia-Pacific can accelerate progress toward resilient communities and sustainable development across the Pacific and beyond.
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