The Pacific nations have done their part on climate change. Now COP31 must deliver

Climate change is already a health emergency in Pacific island countries and areas, despite them collectively accounting for less than 0.03% of global emissions. 

Yet the Pacific has not waited for the rest of the world to act. Pacific nations are leading climate actions for health – from climate-resilient health facilities and coastal adaptation to committing to fully renewable energy. 

At COP31 in Türkiye in November 2026, the world must support Pacific leadership with accessible financing that reaches the countries and communities most affected by the health impacts of climate change. What affects the Pacific, affects our interconnected world. 

Read the joint commentary by Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, and Beate Trankmann, UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, at the World Economic Forum.