Press conference, Nadi, Fiji

FIJIAN MINISTER FOR INFORMATION, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE LYNDA TABUYA : Bula Vinaka everyone. Good morning I hope you've had a good few last few days here in Fiji, and that the hospitality has been good to you. Three days ago, we gathered here in Nadi alongside our co-hosts Australia and Tuvalu with a clear message; that the Pacific is no longer just raising the alarm.

We are leading the global response to climate change. Two days ago, we brought our leaders and media to Tuvalu, some of you included, to see firsthand the effects of climate change. There on the atoll, surrounded by water on all sides, they witnessed the impact of rising sea levels and the family is displaced by the creeping tides.

This week, thousands of negotiations, youth leaders, civil society leaders, women, children, side by side, turning the Pacific priorities into concrete action. Today, I report back to you on the progress we have made. First, the endorsement of the Taku Pakasoa Declaration by 30 regions, which will mobilize protection for the 1.5 degrees threshold.

Second, integrating the ocean agenda into the United Nations framework, claiming its rightful place in our climate agenda. Third, the commitment of real capital; money to fund the change the Pacific needs. From Fiji, a $10 US million of funding for the Pacific Resilience Facility, which will deliver grants straight into local hands to build seawalls, secure clean water, and protect homes before the storm hits.

Next, Fiji's five-year costed carbon market plan. Our resource owners have been asking this of us for many years. Finally, it is happening, which will open new sources of international climate finance for renewable energy and the protection of natural ecosystems.

Third, Fiji's National Action Plan for Coral Reef Conservation 2026 to 2032 - bringing our climate resilient reefs under sustainable management. From Papua New Guinea 25 million kina generously committed to support Tuvalu's land reclamation work. From Australia - thank you, Australia - extensive new funding for $7.29 million dollars, the Australian package for renewable energy in the Pacific, including supporting Vanuatu's transition.

A further $3 million to protect existing infrastructure in the Pacific. And many, many more commitments from our global partners. I'm proud of what we have all achieved this week.

This would not have been possible without the leadership and the partnership of our COP31 President, Honorable Murat and of course Australian leadership as well in partnership, Honorable Bowen, to bring pre-COP to the Pacific. We're very proud of what we have achieved this week. So many of these achievements are rooted in Indigenous knowledge, traditions of our custodianship working together with climate science.

But our work is not done. We have set the stage to COP31, and now we look ahead to Turkiye, where we must achieve the following outcomes - keeping 1.5 degrees within reach and get climate finance into the hands of the people who really need it. And of course, putting the ocean in its rightful place in the climate agenda, and I end with the same message I began with at Vale Ni Valua Knowledge Exchange.

The knowledge, instinctive, and research, that COP31 must be built by Pacific reality, Pacific resilience, and Pacific leadership. So, looking ahead to COP31 in Antalya, we must look at our international partners for solid commitments and turn this political momentum into a delivery. And I just want to say thank you to the media as our partners.

You have a job to take our message out to the world for our family. Thank you, Minister. It's now my pleasure to introduce the COP31 President and Turkish Minister for Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Minister Murat Kurum.

Thank you very much. COP31 PRESIDENT-DESIGNATE, TURKISH MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN PLANNING MURAT KURUM (via interpreter, translated from Turkish): Minister Tabuya, my dear friend. Mr.

Executive Secretary Simon Stiell and members of the press. Thank you very much. Bula vinaka everyone, and it is a great pleasure to be here with you in Fiji and with the people of Fiji.

I'm very happy to be here. Thank you all very much. For the past three days the Prime Minister of Fiji, the people of Fiji, and Minister Tabuya have been hosting us, and we have seen a great hospitality, a warm welcome.

Thank you very much for all of that. Also, I think I would also like to thank my dear friend Chris, who I think is a very important chance and opportunity for the Pacific. Because ever since the beginning of our partnership, we decided to hold Pre-COP in the Pacific.

We tried to do that to make sure that we raise the voice of the Pacific. And we have been able to hold pre-COP in Fiji and in Tuvalu. So thank you very much Chris for that.

Also UNFCCCs Mr Simon Stiell. Thank you very much, who has been with us every step of the way. Today, Fiji, Turkey, Australia, and the United Nations stand together on this stage.

We may come from different continents, but we are moving towards the same goal. As you know, it was intentional to choose Pacific as the venue for the pre-COP because this is the front line of the climate crisis. We traveled to Tuvalu, heard firsthand what people are experiencing.

We witnessed it ourselves. Tuvalu has made no contribution to this crisis, but unfortunately they are faced with the threat. They are faced with an existential crisis, and they are paying the heaviest price.

Today the world is standing idly by, but we cannot do that. That is why we have to act together. At this point, I would like to summarize the message we want to convey to the world from this pre-COP under five headings.

First, urgency. Science is clearly warning us the 1.5 degree target is at jeopardy. We do not have a single minute, single day to lose.

So this 1.5 degree goal, as I mentioned previously, is a matter of survival. the survival of cultures, history, memories, your homeland, your homes -it's that important. The second implementation, I always say, ever since the beginning of COP31 presidency, ever since we took over COP31 presidency, we have always been saying that it is enough talk. It is enough to make promises.

This is why we describe Antalya as an implementation COP. Our goals, our actions have always been based on implementation towards the mission of fulfilling the 1.5 degree goal. Third, solutions.

Electrification will be the driving force of this time. Zero waste and methane reduction, of course, are among our top priorities. Fourth, financing of 1.5 billion US dollars for 1.5 degrees will save the Pacific.

It's that easy. Life will continue in Tuvalu. Children will be smiling again.

For that, financing is of vital importance. And I would like to particularly underscore this: justice in climate finance is essential. Resources must reach those in need in a timely and an accessible manner, not through a lot of red tape.

We cannot accept that the same countries should always bear the burden. “I don't have any problems in my land, I don't have any problems in my region. So Tuvalu can do whatever they want to do".

This is not the mentality we need. That's why the cost should not be paid by SIDs or LDCs. Fifth is unity.

We have been stating this principle ever since the very beginning: Dialogue, Consensus, and Action. And the Taku Pakasoa have reminded us, our strength comes from our unity. Despite the existing political situation, we must protect the unity.

I've had a meeting with a correspondent yesterday. I told them that the most one of the most important tools, most important instruments to help us preserve that unity is the press. They will be the ones to raise the voice.

They will be the ones to act as a driving force to this unity. And what we want from you, is to make sure that everyone can see how dire the situation is. So as I said, unity.

Times like these require leadership. Everyone has been telling me; in such a time, leading COP31, pulling this together with Australia, what does it mean? We undertook responsibility together.

Today is a time where everyone is running away from responsibility. In that time, Turkiye, under the leadership of President Erdogan, we are presiding over COP31. Australia is presiding over negotiations.

And the Pacific today is leading the way too. For us, leadership means first and foremost is listening to everyone. Let me assure you of one thing: we will leave no one behind in this process.

We will try to make consensus with everyone to make sure that everyone is heard. And from Antalya we want to deliver to the world a clear, balanced, and an implementation-oriented message. As I also shared with the ministers at yesterday's closing session, we need to start thinking together with the parties about a political COP31 Decision Text ,that is inclusive, transparent, party-driven, and presidency-led.

This text should address areas of work such as mitigation, adaptation, finance, and implementation in a balanced manner. It should reflect the urgency highlighted by science. Also, the urgency and the progress achieved in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

For the upcoming period, it should set out a common political direction and determination to implement our commitments. Such an outcome, of course, will not replace negotiation tracks, nor will it create new obligations or commitments. On the contrary, it will provide political coherence among different elements of COP31.

So we will shape this process not as a predetermined outcome, but through early, transparent, and inclusive consultations with the parties, together with my dear friend Chris. As I have always said, there won't be any surprise decisions in COP31. But at the end of the day, we have to demonstrate that common will together.

We have been having these meetings, undertaking responsibilities, we do lead the process. But at the end of the day, what we need to do is, we definitely need to take up the responsibility and pull our weight. If not, then we will have to look in the mirror and think about it ourselves.

Some countries do not have any responsibility in this. So what are we doing? We have to think about that.

Let me also state this clearly and unequivocally. There's there's no turning back on this path. We will not take a step step backwards because we still believe that a more just world is possible.

So we will meet in Antalya from 9th to 20th of November. We welcome the whole world to Antalya. Hopefully, we will succeed together, and the voice of the Pacific will be heard strongly in Antalya.

The decisions taken here and the expectations here will be hopefully realised in COP31 in Antalya, together with Australia. One last thing - Australian press, Pacific press, we have been told that they are quite rigid and have sharp edges. So, please make sure to base your questions, base everything that you do, based on the fact that everyone should take responsibility.

We are always fighting for this. We are all fighting to make sure that we may correct this bad course. Today for example, NATO countries have decided to take up their defense investments up to 5%.

But Tuvalu is going away. I mean, what does it mean to spend 5% for defense if you don't have a country to live on? What does it mean to defend it?

So the same responsibility, same determination we expect each and every country to show in climate action as well. Thank you very much Australia, Prime Minister of Fiji, the government of Fiji, my dear friend Simon Stiell, Minister Tabuya from Fiji, the UN and esteemed members of the press, thank you again very much. Thank you very much.

All my best to all of you. Thank you. Thank you very much, Minister Kurum.

It's now our pleasure to introduce the president of negotiations for COP31, Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Honorable Chris Bowen. AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY CHRIS BOWEN: Thanks very much, Edwyn. Thank you, Lynda, Murat, Simon.

Well a year ago, when Minister Kurum and I were first planning this innovative partnership - this unprecedented partnership to deliver a COP - we agreed immediately that we should use Pre-COP to give us the best possible launching pad for COP31. To use it as an opportunity to give a voice to those who struggled to be heard at COPs for many years; small island developing states best represented here by the Pacific.

That is something that Murat and I agreed on immediately with his full enthusiasm. I thank my friend Murat for agreeing to that. It's something we have worked hard to deliver over the last few days, and it's something that has seen the Pacific give COP31 the best chance of hearing their voice.

The Taku Pakasoa Declaration, which arose out of our visit to Tuvalu - the least visited country in the world - which saw some key players, heads of government, also the Climate Change ministers of India and the United Arab Emirates, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, the head of the Asian Development Bank, the head of the Green Climate Fund, coming here to hear from girls, from elders, and to see the maps showing the impacts of climate change on Tuvalu.

Saw the Taku Pakasoa Declaration agreed, not just by the Pacific nations, but by countries like Turkieye and the United Arab Emirates. It sees a strength found in collective unity and action. It reaffirms the importance of science, and reaffirms the efforts to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency and transition away from fossil fuels.

All encapsulated in that important document, which gives us a good launching pad. Also, access to finance. The countries that need the finance the most get it the least, small island developing states.

That has got to change. It's a key priority of COP31. So later this morning, we will be launching our Access to Finance Plan in the lead-up to COP31, which will be seeking commitments and signatories from development banks and countries to do better here in the Pacific and on behalf of small island developing states around the world, the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and elsewhere.

We're particularly keen and focused on lifting the profile of the Pacific's own Pacific's Resilience Fund, designed by the Pacific for the Pacific. Can I just express my appreciation that here at Pre-COP we've seen commitments to the PRF from Denmark, Ireland - who doubled their previous commitment - United Kingdom who pledged $13 million US. From the Netherlands, who paid $1.12 million US.

We accept and understand that for countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, the Pacific is not front and center like it is for Australia. But nevertheless, they have turned up here and made a strong commitment because of Pre-COP here. And of course I recognize the other commitments, Fiji and Solomon Islands in particular, who should be congratulated for supporting the Pacific family.

So these have been our objectives. Those objectives have been very important to us in other things, like progressing electrification. It's a conversation which is being led through the Action Agenda, through Murat's excellent electrification pledge, which Australia supports and will support.

Also today we'll be launching the Global Rooftop Solar Pledge. where Australia has 35% of their houses with rooftop solar. We're working with other countries to spread rooftop solar more around the world. Also, as Minister Kurum said, we did announce yesterday that we will be having a Presidency-led decision at COP31 - which is not inevitable.

Minister Kurum and I discussed at length the options before us, but we feel that a Presidency-led decision gives us the best chance of a strong, ambitious outcome at COP31. To send the signal to follow the science to keep 1.5 degrees within reach, against the backdrop of the scientific evidence that we will overshoot it. We've got to overshoot it for as little and as short as possible.

To accelerate delivery, we'll be working intensively in coming weeks to ensure that Presidency-led decision, is one that is strong. But we also said from the outset that we would run an open, transparent, and inclusive and predictable COP. So we didn't want to surprise people in Antalya with a Presidency-led decision.

We decided to announce it here, so it's no surprises, and that we will be working to deliver that in Antalya in a few weeks' time. Can I just thank the governments of Fiji and Tuvalu for your first-class hospitality and cooperation and friendship. The spirit of welcome in both countries, many ministers from around the world have commented to me on this; just the spirit of welcome and the professionalism.

And if you forgive me, if I could just give one particular shout out Minister Tabuya, to your permanent secretary, Sirendra Michael, who I don't think has slept in a week. He has done your country proud and my country , and we appreciate it. So thank you very much.

Thank you, Minister Bowen. It's now my pleasure to introduce our final speaker, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Simon Stiell. UNFCCC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SIMON STIELL: Thank you, thank you very much, Edwyn.

I clearly didn't get the memo about the costume change before coming in here, but I am matching you, Minister, absolutely. So recognising Minister Tabuya, your wonderful hospitality, Chris, Murat. Let me begin by thanking Fiji, along with Tuvalu, for hosting us with warmth and purpose in partnership with Australia, working closely with Turkieye on the road to COP31.

Every nation is now on the front lines of the climate crisis. Every economy is already getting hammered. Now, El Nino is upping the ante and supercharging these climate costs.

But few nations have as much at stake as small islands. Throughout the week, this region has shown again how to meet danger with determination, innovation, cooperation, and practical solutions. That is the spirit we need heading into COP31, if it is to deliver on its full potential this year.

That is to drive forward implementation. Because this is what COP31 can and must do. Help convert promises into more real-world results.

And that depends on many factors, including scaling up, speeding up, and broadening access to affordable climate finance. We must deliver on existing finance commitments, including the new finance goal, while using the Baku to Belem Roadmap to build towards the $1.3 trillion per year by 2035. A focus on implementation also means bringing the COP process closer together with the real economy.

Negotiations remain absolutely central every year. And an the road to the Second Global Stocktake and COP31. While there may not be a blockbuster on the agenda this year, there are lots of complex and vital issues that must be agreed.

That is incredibly hard when every country must agree on every single word. But strong outcomes are essential. This week's meetings have made progress and also shown us how much hard work remains ahead.

The Action Agenda is also key, connecting governments, businesses, investors, cities and communities, with projects, partnerships, and finance that turn commitments into real results. An implementation focus in Antalya means rolling up sleeves on practical issues that make a difference on the ground: electrification, methane, cutting waste, protecting the oceans.

Clearly no single COP can deliver the global climate crisis or solve the global climate crisis overnight. But all recent COPs have moved the world a significant step forward. So must COP31.

By accelerating implementation across these very practical issues. With just four weeks till COP starts in Antalya, there is no time to lose. I thank you.

Thank you, Executive Secretary. We have very short time for questions. We'll first go to Fiji Media over this slide.

JOURNALIST: Hello, I am representing Pasifika TV and my question is directed to the COP31 Presidency. So, you have seen directly and you have heard directly from Pacific countries and communities here in Tuvalu and in Fiji. What have they told you?

And what is it that you will personally carry into COP31 from your observations and your interactions with them? How will we see that reflected in the decisions made? MINISTER KURUM: Well, they didn't actually have to say anything to us.

They didn't only need to say anything to us. When you see Tuvalu by your eyes, you see everything very clearly, very evidently. The highest point in the island is 1.5 meters, and the people of island who have been living there for years are unfortunately facing death with every tide.

The children are living with this anxiety, with this worry. The mothers are living with this worry. That goes for many islands in the Pacific.

We had a chance to listen to the young people and the school teachers of Tuvalu. They are expecting us to take action immediately. We have to put the words aside now.

We are expected to take responsibility and take action as soon as possible. That was the understanding that we had while organizing pre-COP31 in Fiji, in the Pacific; everything that we are discussing here will surely be taken to COP31 under the heading of seas and oceans. We will take expectations of the SIDs and LDCs into consideration with respect to access to finance.

And they are all included in our Action Agenda and in our objectives. We will invite the entire world to make a decision based on what has been discussed so far. We decided to organise pre-COP here along with our Australian colleagues.

Once we leave here, we will surely do our best to take with us what we have discussed here. This is the second Pre-COP in Fiji. We don't want to talk about the same things anymore.

We want to discuss what we have done in the third Pre-COP, not what we 'will' be doing. If we are not going to talk about what we have done, then I believe we shouldn't come back here, and we cannot look at the faces of those people here anymore. I will surely be following those decisions in COP31 in Antalya.

JOURNALIST: I'm from the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, the National Broadcaster. My question is also open to the panel. This COP31 is being termed the COP of implementation.

How will you ensure you will stay true to this? That the promises made to the Pacific during this COP do not remain partially fulfilled or on paper? Thank you.

MINISTER TABUYA: I will start off as the host of pre-Cop here in the Pacific. Bringing pre-Cop to the Pacific - and I thank our partners. I think Chris and Murat - bringing pre-COP to the Pacific was vital, so that we can bring decision-makers to the climate front lines.

That will also ensure that our Pacific voices will shape the negotiations into COP31. That was very important for the Pacific. So, for my view as the host here, and for the Pacific, this helps us to be able to shape the negotiations.

I was especially encouraged by what Murat mentioned: $1.5 billion for 1.5. We will hold COP 31 to that. MINISTER BOWEN: I'll just say very briefly - and perhaps Murat might want to add; that is our job.

But it won't be easy. No COP is easy. We didn't take this task, Murat and I, because we thought it would be easy.

We did because we thought it's so important. This will be my fifth COP. Every one has been hard.

Every one has involved all night negotiations and hard-fought positions. This one will be no different. But the emphasis on implementation and acceleration in the in the face of, I think, three things: the report showing overshooting 1.5.

The El Nino, which will supercharge climate impacts in the next year and impact on all our countries in ways we can't entirely predict right now, but we know it will be significant. And the energy crisis, which underlines the fact that fossil fuels are not always a secure and sovereign supply. So against those three contexts, we'll be working very hard to ensure that the launching pad, which we've provided here at pre-Cop, is turned in to a strong and successful COP outcome.

But I do want to emphasize to you, we're not pretending that this is an easy task or that the task is done. We have much work left to do. MINISTER KURUM: Let me say.

We don't need to just say words. We have always been very clear and straightforward, and we will keep being clear and straightforward. We know what we want to do in this COP31.

So as we were working on the targets we set, for example, what are we supposed to do in order to lower 1.5? We have to lower the emissions. Or so far, there has been a narrative about transitioning away from the fossil fuels.

I want to say very clearly: in COP31, we will tell the world that if you are sincere about your intentions, then we have to make sure that this Action Agenda is implemented. If you are not sincere about it, do not pretend. Do not play a role, we will say.

Because if we take the relevant steps by the year 2035, we will be able to reduce emissions by 20 per cent. Our purpose is to achieve 35 per cent electrification by the year 2035. We want to cut the waste by half.

We want to improve energy efficiency. We would like to increase the circular material use up to 15 per cent. When we achieve these targets, we will be able to reduce emissions by 20 per cent.

Even if we don't achieve the 1.5 target, then we still moving around around that target. So we are very clear about this, and we will say to the world: If you are sincere about it, let's do this together. Everyone has their priorities.

Everyone has different expectations. We are saying let's do this within the scope of your priorities, your expectations. Let's take them into consideration for sure.

We will not take any step backwards in COP31. We will invite everyone to take this responsibility. We don't want anyone to come up with different excuses.

We don't want anyone to have any concern in the back of their minds, or we don't want them to have any different expectation other than the climate in their minds. This is why we are very clear about this. We will keep being very clear by the end.

As you know, we experienced a great earthquake on February 6th 2023, and we lost 50,000 people. In just two days we set up the tents and the containers. On the 15th day we laid the first foundation, and we delivered the first house on the 45th day.

We built 455,000 housing units just in two years. So that means delivering houses to two million people. If you are determined, then you can do anything.

If you show your will, if you take the action, then you can manage anything. And we are showing this will along with our Australian colleagues. And we are inviting the will to take this responsibility.

So this is it in a nutshell. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY STIELL: Could I just add a quick note? We spent 10 years negotiating the outcomes from Paris.

The Paris Agreement, the rule book, is now complete. That was the very clear signal when we left Belem for COP30 last year. There will always be technical issues, political issues that need to be negotiated.

Negotiations are at the center of the process. But that very clear shift now to implementation is clear. Countries spent the last two, three years developing their national climate plans, a third generation of national climate plans.

The tools are there. The plans are there. So what Antalya must absolutely signal is that there is a shift within the process with that.

That focus on implementing what has been agreed and put in place over the last 10 years. JOURNALIST: Thank you all for your time today, Minister Bowen. Do you agree with yesterday's High Court ruling in regards to the Mount Pleasant coal mine in New South Wales?

That authorities should take into account emissions from exports when approving fossil fuel projects? MINISTER BOWEN: You're asking me whether I agree with the court decision? A court decision is the law of the land.

It's not a matter of whether I agree with it or not. I'm here dealing with my colleagues on the matters before us. JOURNALIST: Ben Strange, AFP.

Ocean health is obviously a big talking point during this conference. You went to Tuvalu. In Tuvalu, they found out recently that 99.99% of the coral making up the atolls has died.

Scientists are concerned that the Great Barrier Reef is next, that could suffer a massive bleaching from the Super El Nino that's coming up. So I guess for for you, Minister Bowen, how concerned are you about that? And what mitigation can - I guess for everybody, you know - what what can we do about Super El Nino?

MINISTER BOWEN: Well, I'm not going to give you any false hope that a government action can stop a super El Nino at this point. We'll all be dealing with it. Governments around the world will be dealing with it.

Communities will be dealing with it. Villages will be dealing with it. Cities will be dealing with it.

We don't know exactly whether it will impact Australia in terms of bushfires, flooding, cyclones, coral bleaching. But we know some of it will happen. It'll happen in countries right around the world.

It'll have particular impact in those countries that can afford it the least. You know, if a natural disaster in a small island developing state can wipe out 10s of percentages of GDP, that's the "why". So yes, I am obviously deeply concerned about impact on coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef and in Tuvalu and everywhere.

But I'm also concerned about the impact more broadly. But it's what the Super El Nino will do; supercharge climate change impacts that are real. This is no longer a forecast.

It's no longer a prediction. It's no longer, you know, a debate about whether this will happen in 20 years' time. We are living climate change.

So hence the focus increasingly in COPS on adaptation and resilience, without in any way reducing the focus on mitigation as well. JOURNALIST: Thank you very much for your time. This question is for Mr Bowen.

Some current and former Pacific leaders have praised the High Court's decision yesterday on that coal mine expansion. Do you think this could spark a greater consideration of Scope Three emissions when decisions are made about fossil fuel project? MINISTER BOWEN: I have nothing to add to my previous answer.

Thank you. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.