Pacific Island nations seek urgent climate finance at UN summit

Pacific Island nations are calling for significant financial support to address climate change, according to Baron Waqa, the Pacific Islands Forum chief. He spoke at the UN climate summit COP29, highlighting the existential threat climate change poses to these nations. Waqa emphasized the need for timely climate finance to protect small island developing states. He mentioned the upcoming Pacific Resilience Facility, which aims to improve access to climate funding and is expected to be operational by 2026. He also noted that rising sea levels threaten the culture and traditions of Pacific communities. Waqa welcomed the opportunity to co-host COP31 in Australia, aiming to raise awareness of the urgent climate challenges faced by the region.