Pacific island leaders on Thursday 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 his country remained in a constant state of recovery from climate-related disasters, with annual economic losses estimated at $79 million, equivalent to 5% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
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, phase out fossil fuel subsidies 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% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and achieve 100% renewable electricity generation by 2035.
Fakafanua also called for timely and adequate climate financing for Pacific nations, urging countries to honor their climate commitments.
Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo warned that rising sea levels posed an existential threat to his country, which stands barely two meters above sea level, but vowed not to "surrender our future."
He said Tuvalu was developing elevated, safer land and strengthening coastal defenses, while emphasizing that adaptation measures alone would not be enough to protect the country.
"The world must cut emissions, phase out fossil fuels, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy," he said.
Teo also urged the international community to ensure that no partner was "left behind," referring to Taiwan.
Kiribati President Taneti Maamau highlighted challenges facing multilateralism, stressing that international cooperation remained essential to tackling the climate crisis.
He called for building long-term climate resilience, keeping the 1.5C global warming target within reach by phasing out fossil fuels and increasing global electrification to at least 35% by 2035.
Niuean Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi warned of the financial burden of dependence on fossil fuels amid the ongoing fuel crisis, urging countries to reduce their reliance as quickly as possible.
He stressed the importance of limiting and shortening any overshoot of the 1.5C warming threshold.
Tagelagi also called on international partners to triple adaptation financing through grants rather than loans and simplify access to funding for small island states.
