At the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Pacific Island countries emerged as champions for the interests of all island citizens, using a series of high-level interventions to re-frame pressing global conversations around the urgency of the climate crisis.

Through impassioned pleas and future-focussed commitments, Pacific island countries filled the void of climate leadership left by the world’s largest carbon polluters yet to commit to carbon neutrality by 2050.

Supported by UNSG Antonio Guterres’ personal commitment to the wellbeing of small states, Pacific Island leaders drove the international narrative around sustainable, resilient development, bringing their unique perspectives to bear in global decision-making on healthcare, climate action and development finance. Pacific Island countries put pragmatic solutions on the table, and spoke to their own innovative efforts to reduce emissions and adapt their economies to climate change through creative financial products, nature-based solutions and renewable energy projects.

The collective voice of Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) at the UN was bolstered by the first-time appearances of the President of Nauru, Lionel Aingimea and the President of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau. President Aingimea powerfully characterised climate change as “economic armageddon” that could erase $6 billion worth of tuna stocks, while President Maamau condemned the worrying lack of climate ambition from larger economies in the Pacific.

Tongan King Tupou VI stressed the existential threat posed by the rising seas – framing climate change as an issue of survival rather than of politics. And Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai lamented the catastrophic climate-induced events undoing decades of progress, taking lives and destroying communities.

As the only world leader to address all five key summits of UNGA74, Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama imbued critical global dialogues with the perspective of Pacific Island people. He consistently expressed a growing concern regarding the gap in ambition to reduce global emissions and in finance to build resilience in vulnerable nations. Speaking as the Chair of PSIDS, Prime Minister Bainimarama outlined the crushing complexity climate impacts add to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda in Sustainable Development, advocating for a balance between building resilience and
debt sustainability.

“No region of the world stood more united in purpose than the Pacific here at the UNGA. Our message is clear: we are suffering, our people are dying, and only decisive climate action will save us.  But I’m gravely disappointed that – in the face of a climate emergency – the major emitters have failed to commit themselves to the actions necessary to save our planet. But the passion of my Pacific brothers and sisters here in New York, from heads of government to schoolchildren to A-list actors, is building a critical mass of momentous change the world will not be able to ignore,” said Prime Minister Bainimarama.