Pacific Island nations facing worsening climate impacts cannot afford further delays in global climate action, with 350.org warning that COP31 must deliver urgent commitments on fossil fuel transition, climate finance and protection for vulnerable communities.
The warning comes as world leaders gather in Türkiye for the United Nations climate negotiations, against a backdrop of severe El Niño impacts across the Pacific, prolonged dry conditions and growing concerns over the approaching cyclone season.
350.org Pacific and Caribbean Programme Manager Fenton Lutunatabua said Pacific communities were already experiencing the consequences of climate change and could not wait for further political commitments.
“We do not have the luxury of time. Right now our people are told to preserve water as the Pacific faces a ‘Godzilla’ El Niño and dry season, and after that we are told to prepare for the impending cyclone season which will be intensified by the warming waters.
“This is not a future scenario, it is the reality of today. We need governments to listen to the communities already living with these consequences.
“COP31 must deliver action, not more delay: a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, meaningful climate finance and a commitment to protect the people and places most at risk,” Lutunabua said.
He said every fraction of global warming avoided mattered, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions could limit future harm to vulnerable countries.
“Every fraction of a degree of warming avoided matters. Every tonne of emissions prevented can reduce future harm.
“COP31 must recognise that the transition away from fossil fuels is no longer a political luxury – it’s a desperate environmental necessity for safety, security and equity for this generation and those who come after us.”
350.org said momentum from COP30 in Brazil and the Santa Marta conference in Colombia, where about 80 countries supported efforts to move away from fossil fuels, had created an opportunity for governments to turn political commitments into concrete action.
The COP30 presidency has also presented roadmaps intended to help countries translate commitments into implementation.
350.org is calling on the Turkish and Australian COP31 presidencies to secure a credible pathway towards phasing out fossil fuels, supported by clear timelines, accountability measures and adequate financing.
The organisation said governments must agree on concrete steps towards a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, accelerate renewable energy development and provide developing countries with the climate finance needed to respond to climate impacts.
It also called for countries responsible for the climate crisis to pay their fair share of the costs.
For Pacific island countries, the negotiations come as climate impacts increasingly threaten water security, livelihoods, infrastructure and economic stability, reinforcing calls for urgent international action rather than further delays.
