At COP31 in Türkiye, Pacific island nations warn of rising seas, demand more climate financing

Résumé détaillé

Leaders of the region say several inhabited islands have disappeared due to rising sea levels and erosion, calling for collective climate action.

Pacific island leaders have warned of the growing threat of rising sea levels, urging greater climate financing and a faster transition to renewable energy during the COP31 UN climate summit in Türkiye's southern city of Antalya.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale said on Thursday that his country remained in a constant state of recovery from climate-related disasters, with annual economic losses estimated at $79 million, equivalent to 5 percent of its gross domestic product.

Sea levels around the country are rising by 7-10 millimeters annually, two to three times the global average, he said, adding that several inhabited islands had already disappeared due to rising seas and erosion.

Wale urged major emitters to make immediate, deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and increase climate financing for vulnerable countries.

He also called for climate funding to be grant-based, demand-driven, flexible and channeled through national systems, stressing that developed countries must fulfill their financing commitments.

Tongan Prime Minister Fatafehi Fakafanua urged countries to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and eliminate subsidies that encourage their use.

He said Tonga aimed to generate 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and achieve 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2035.

Fakafanua also called for timely and adequate climate financing for Pacific nations, urging countries to honour their climate commitments.

Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo warned that rising sea levels posed an existential threat to his country, which stands barely two metres above sea level, but vowed not to "surrender our future."

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