By Stefan Armbruster and Jennifer Enosa, Torres News
No specific role is planned for Torres Strait Islanders by the Australian government as it prepares to co-host the Pacific pre-COP in Fiji and Tuvalu, and lead COP31 global climate negotiations in Türkiye later this year.
Torres News journalists questioned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on how Australia’s most climate-vulnerable community would be represented at the COP meetings during a press conference at the annual Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) held in Palau last week.
With less than a month before the Pacific pre-COP, Albanese could not provide any details.
“We’ll continue to engage with all Australians, but in particular, we have one of our representatives, who looks after the Pacific, of course, is (Senator) Nita Green, based in Cairns, who is a regular visitor to the Torres Strait,” Albanese said.
“Importantly, one of the things about climate change, and the need to reduce emissions, is that the impact of rising sea levels, of the impact of dangerous climate change, isn’t equitable.
“It affects people who are often the most poor and underdeveloped in the world, whether that be in Tuvalu or whether it be in Kiribati or whether it be in the Torres Strait.
“We’ll continue to engage, we understand that we have a responsibility to this, and importantly to future generations as well, to act.”
He added he had visited the Torres Strait region, including “Saibai, Darnley, Yorke, as well as the larger places” several times.
Representatives from the Torres Strait, including Aunty McRose Elu and Barb Ibuai, attended recent COP meetings in Azerbaijan and Brazil, without federal government support, to advocate for the region.
“Climate Collective Zenadth Kes (CCZK) is disappointed but not surprised the federal government has not found a role for Torres Strait Islanders in the COP processes as the most vulnerable climate community in Australia,” Ibuai said.
“Communities across Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait), Australia’s Melanesians, are watching closely as the Torres Strait faces the same climate pressures as its Pacific relatives.
“CCZK stands in full support of Tuvalu and Vanuatu, who raised urgent concerns at last week’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting regarding Australia’s continued approval of new coal and gas projects.”
A Federal Court judge acknowledged Torres Strait Islands and their inhabitants were “undoubtedly far more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than other communities in Australia” in a judgement that rejected the Australian Climate Case in 2025.
In August, the full bench of the Federal Court heard an appeal by Uncles Pabai Pabai and Paul Kabai against the judgement on whether the Australian government has a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from the damage done by climate change.
No date has been set for their decision.
The Albanese government’s bid to secure hosting rights to COP31, supported by Pacific leaders, failed last year and it settled for a “Pacific pre-COP” meeting, with federal Minister for Climate Change Chris Bowen leading negotiations in Turkiye.
Last year, the Torres News reported Pacific leaders’ praise for Torres Strait Islander climate advocacy from the PIFLM in the Solomon Islands, including the landmark Torres Strait 8 victory at the UN Human Rights Committee in 2022.
The pre-COP in October will be attended by leaders from Thailand, Timor-Leste, Maldives alongside their Pacific counterparts to see the impacts of climate change firsthand.
