PINA

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE As COP28 approaches its closing plenary next week, key stakeholders from the Pacific region weigh in on their priorities and expectations for the rest of the conference. Director General of SPREP, Sefanaia Nawadra said the single biggest issue for the Pacific still remains 1.5 to stay alive. “This is the bottom line. We...

By Sarah Stubbings, ANZ Regional Executive, Pacific ANZ’s presence in the Pacific dates back 143 years and our commitment to this vibrant region is illustrated by our 1,000-strong team. Our focus today is on our core markets — Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Timor Leste — each unique, yet all contributing to the rich tapestry...

At COP28, Pacific Islands State Leaders launched a bold new Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity initiative to safeguard and revitalise the Blue Pacific Continent. The Bezos Earth Fund applauds and endorses the Pacific Leaders' bold vision to protect and restore the region's extraordinary marine ecosystems. Today, the Earth Fund announced plans to provide up to US$100 million in grants to support...

A new implementation framework was launched Monday to facilitate coordinated action among the 56 Commonwealth countries, including Pacific member states, on land, biodiversity and climate challenges, directly impacting a quarter of the world’s land area. The Commonwealth Secretariat unveiled the Living Lands Charter Implementation Framework at a high-level event on 3 December 2023 in Dubai, organised alongside the United Nations...

An Opinion by Grace Ramo Solomon Islands is now caught in the vortex stirred by superpowers both in and outside the region. Dominant countries, like the United States, control a number of international authoritative media and independent think tanks to their advantage, enlarging the domestic social problems in Solomon Islands and interpreting the actions made by our government with a...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE The General Secretary for the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) Reverend James Bhagwan, has drawn attention to the challenges facing the Pacific Islands and their efforts to claim their priorities in the ongoing climate negotiations at COP28 in Dubai. When questioned about strategies for the Pacific to influence outcomes in the remaining...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has highlighted the nature of the 1.5°C target, emphasising the commitment required to uphold the 2015 Paris Agreement. The COP28 meeting in Dubai on Sunday witnessed a milestone side event when leaders from the U.S, India, China, Australia, and Pacific nations gathered...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Cook Islands Prime Minister and Pacific Islands Forum Chair Mark Brown has announced at the COP28 side event in Dubai that the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) is scheduled to commence operations by 2025. Brown emphasised the need for a focus on resilience and adaptation while the global community works towards achieving carbon...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE The Pacific Islands Forum Programme Adviser for Resilient Development Finance, has shared his thoughts on Australia's offer to provide refuge to Tuvalu citizens in the face of climate change. In a PACNEWS interview, Karlos Lee Moresi, a Tuvaluan himself, expressed a mix of scepticism and optimism regarding the agreement, emphasising the need for...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Experts and officials from the Pacific region have provided their perspectives on the developments related to the Loss and Damage (LND) Fund during COP28 in Dubai. The creation of the fund is acknowledged as a significant achievement, but stakeholders stress the importance of careful consideration as discussions proceed. Forum Secretary General Henry Puna expressed...