Cook Islands Leads Pacific Climate Talks Ahead of COP31
Prime Minister Mark Brown and Cook Islands delegates lead Pacific Pre-COP31 talks in Fiji to secure streamlined climate finance and adaptation support for island nations.
More than 50 countries gathered in the Pacific for Pre-COP31 climate talks co-hosted by Fiji, Tuvalu, and Australia. The meetings serve as a precursor to the UN Climate Conference (COP31) taking place next month in Antalya, Turkiye.
Mark Brown, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, traveled to Nadi, Fiji, to participate in the program. While there, Brown met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale to discuss regional unity, sovereignty, and the shared challenges of the Blue Pacific. Brown also used the visit to thank Solomon Islands medical professionals currently working in Rarotonga and Aitutaki.
The Cook Islands participated through its national delegation and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), leading negotiations on transparency, mitigation, loss and damage, and climate finance. Delegates highlighted the immediate threats of coastal erosion, rising seas, and risks to food and water security.
At the upcoming summit in Turkiye, Brown intends to advocate for streamlined climate finance for small island nations and increased support for the Pacific Resilience Facility. He will also push for stronger global commitment to maintain the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C temperature goal.
