PINA

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE At COP28, the UAE made a groundbreaking announcement, committing US$30 billion to Alterra, a revolutionary climate-focused investment vehicle. The initiative, described as a "defining moment" by COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber, aims to reshape international climate finance, prioritizing accessibility for the Global South. "With Alterra, we are creating a multiplier effect in climate-focused...

Fiji's Ambassador to Indonesia and Chief Negotiator at COP28, Amena Yauvoli, marked a historic achievement as the Loss and Damage fund was formally adopted during the COP28 negotiations in Dubai. The decision, confirmed at the ongoing COP28 meeting, was accompanied by generous pledges from key contributors, elevating the fund to a total of US$310.5 million. Leading the support were the...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell Thursday emphasised the urgent need to accelerate climate action. In his opening speech at COP28 in Dubai, Stiell began by expressing gratitude to Egypt for their stewardship over the past year and acknowledged the weighty responsibility being passed on to the Emirati colleagues. Stiell likened humanity's...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Forum Secretary General Henry Puna has expressed disappointment at the lack of responsiveness from the world's biggest emitters to the Pacific's urgent call for access to climate finance and commitment to the Paris Agreement 1.5 threshold. “Our priority in the Pacific on climate change is the 1.5 degrees’ Celsius threshold. Unfortunately, the...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) kicks off in Dubai, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell delivered a stern message, emphasising the critical need for bold actions to combat the escalating climate crisis. “This year’s climate conference comes as the crisis enters a new phase – and shows its full...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE The Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) Regional Coordinator, Lavetanalagi Seru has delivered a straightforward message in Dubai on the priorities of Pacific civil society at COP28. “Over the next two weeks, we'll be building pressure both inside and outside of the negotiations to ensure that our leaders and representatives at COP...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE As the issue of Loss and Damage takes centre stage at COP28, the recent uneasy compromise to house the funds temporarily with the World Bank sparks discussions and differing perspectives, particularly from Pacific Islands Forum and Council of Regional Organisations (CROP) agencies. Espen Ronneberg, Adviser to the SPC Climate Change and Environmental...

By Pita Ligaiula at COP28 in Dubai, UAE Forum Secretary General Henry Puna Thursday provided a comprehensive update on the COP28 State of Play during a media briefing in the UAE, emphasising the active engagement of Pacific delegations and negotiators in pre-COP meetings and sessions. “I am excited to be joining you for this first update from UAE where our Pacific...

A recent global research by AidData revealed a significant increase in China’s development finance support to Kiribati between 2019-2021, coinciding with the island nation’s decision to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China. According to AidData, which analysed a comprehensive dataset of over 20,000 projects across 165 countries, “100 percent of Chinese development finance was committed between 2019 to 2021.” Over...

The World Meteorological Organisation(WMO) provisional State of the Global Climate report confirms that 2023 is set to be the warmest year on record. Data until the end of October shows that the year was about 1.40 degrees Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of ±0.12°C) above the pre-industrial 1850-1900 baseline. The difference between 2023 and 2016 and 2020 -...