Lenora Qereqeretabua presses for urgent Asia-Pacific climate action at Nadi forum
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua delivered a keynote at the Major Stakeholders Forum in Nadi, calling for immediate, united action on climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution across the Asia-Pacific. Addressing government officials, civil society, academics, and business leaders, she underscored the Pacific’s frontline experience with environmental crises and warned that policy without people and ambition without action amount to inaction and betrayal.
Her remarks framed three guiding principles for the Forum: honesty in confronting gaps between promises and results, boldness in scaling innovation and resilience, and unity in securing justice, financing, and accountability for small island states. She also reaffirmed the Pacific’s enduring rights to statehood and maritime zones amid rising seas, stressing that the region’s rights must be protected even as the climate challenge intensifies.
Closing her remarks, Qereqeretabua reminded participants that the earth is borrowed from future generations, urging urgent, collaborative, and integrity-driven solutions to secure a sustainable future for the region. The gathering echoed a broader regional push to translate climate science into policy and practice, and to push for tangible outcomes ahead of key international meetings.
Context and added value
– The Pacific has repeatedly highlighted a triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—with tangible impacts such as eroding coastlines, increasingly severe storms, and plastics affecting marine ecosystems that support Pacific livelihoods.
– Close observers note that regional calls emphasize real financing, accountability for polluters, and robust protections for present and future generations. Pacific voices have framed UNEA-7 and other multilateral processes as opportunities to secure bankable, on-the-ground action, not just pledges.
– Broader regional efforts referenced in related discussions include the Pacific Resilience Facility, designed to improve access to climate finance, and the Blue Pacific Continent framework, which together seek to turn dialogue into concrete programs that support ocean governance, biodiversity protection, and resilient communities. Youth leadership and Indigenous knowledge are being increasingly highlighted as essential components of effective climate action.
Logical commentary
This forum’s emphasis on financing and accountability aligns with a wider strategy across the Pacific to bridge policy with practice. By foregrounding statehood rights, coastal and marine governance, and inclusive leadership, the region aims to turn aspirational agreements into funded programs that communities can feel and measure. The integration of Indigenous knowledge with science and policy is presented as a practical pathway to culturally resonant and locally implementable climate solutions.
Positive note
There is cautious optimism that stronger regional coordination, accessible financing streams, and the blending of traditional knowledge with modern science can translate into tangible improvements—protecting coastlines, restoring biodiversity, supporting sustainable fisheries, and delivering a just transition for Pacific nations.
Key takeaways
– Asia-Pacific leaders are urging real, action-oriented outcomes ahead of UNEA-7, including concrete financing, accountability for polluters, and protections for current and future generations.
– The Forum reinforces the call for Pacific voices to shape, not merely observe, global climate discussions and negotiations.
– Ongoing regional initiatives such as the Pacific Resilience Facility and the Blue Pacific Continent framework are highlighted as mechanisms to turn commitments into bankable programs and bankable climate resilience on the ground.
What to watch next
– Follow-up announcements on financing commitments and cross-sector partnerships tied to UNEA-7 and other major climate forums.
– Potential implementation of bankable projects that support coastal protection, biodiversity restoration, and sustainable fisheries in Pacific communities.
– The continued integration of Indigenous knowledge and youth leadership into regional and international climate governance.
Overall takeaway
The Pacific remains steadfast in its message: tangible financing, clear accountability, and inclusive leadership are essential to translating urgent climate talk into durable action that protects both people and the ocean that sustains them. The forum’s stance signals a hopeful path where regional collaboration and targeted investments can pave the way for a just, resilient climate future for the Blue Pacific.
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