Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown will travel to Tuvalu and Fiji this week to represent the Cook Islands throughout the Pacific Pre-COP31 programme. Hosted by Australia, Fiji and Tuvalu, the meeting will bring together a broad cross-section of Pacific and international leaders and senior representatives ahead of the annual UN Climate Conference (COP31) in Antalya Turkiye.
The Prime Minister will use the meeting to press for climate finance that is simpler and faster for small island countries to access, further support for the Pacific Resilience Facility, stronger global action to keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal within reach, and greater recognition of the ocean in climate decisions. His participation throughout the programme will allow him to carry these priorities from the Leaders discussions into the detailed ministerial consultations that follow.
“For the Cook Islands, the value of Pre-COP is the opportunity to put our priorities directly before the people who influence climate decisions and finance,” Prime Minister Brown said. “We need support that can move more quickly from international meetings into practical work on water, coastal protection, transport and essential infrastructure, particularly in the Pa Enua.”
In Tuvalu, the Prime Minister will visit the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project, which has created raised land in Funafuti as part of the country’s response to sea-level rise. They will discuss how the project was selected, financed and delivered, and what lessons may be relevant to the Cook Islands.
“Each of our islands has different needs, so we are not looking to copy another country’s project,” Prime Minister Brown said. “We want to understand what Tuvalu has learned and consider whether any part of that experience could help us make better long-term decisions for our communities, harbours, airstrips, energy infrastructure and water supplies.”
The Prime Minister will also lead Cook Islands advocacy for the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is now seeking the capital required to begin supporting community-level resilience projects following the entry into force of its establishing agreement in May. The new national LiDAR data and ongoing work on Tongareva’s wharf will help demonstrate the importance of sound evidence, resilient infrastructure and reliable connectivity when seeking international support.
The Prime Minister will be supported by officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. The delegation will report on the practical opportunities identified at Pre-COP and carry the Cook Islands priorities into preparations for the formal COP31 negotiations.
