350.org responds to Pre-COP31 outcomes

Nadi, Fiji – Pre-COP31 has concluded in Fiji, putting the region's priorities at the centre of deliberations. With Australia and Turkiye promising a COP31 of “implementation” and electrification, Pacific climate advocates have drawn firm lines on what is required to keep the 1.5 degree target within reach.

Fenton Lutunatabua, 350.org Pacific and Caribbean Program Manager said:

“Leaders have come to the Pacific and witnessed the extent of the fossil-fueled climate crisis. They now carry that mantle of witness-bearing and accountability into COP31. But they also carry the standard that we’ve set as a region on a path away from fossil fuels.

We commend the commitments of the co-presidency to the global electrification goal but maintain that any hope of keeping 1.5 degrees alive requires this goal be built by renewables, not the broken, expensive systems of the past.

There is unequivocal science, echoed for decades by Pacific people, that proves this is what is required of us. COP31 must be where you act on all of the evidence provided. We hope Australia and Turkiye live up to their “implementation” promises, not only for the sake of the Pacific, but for the sake of our collective futures.”

Efe Baysal, Türkiye Lead at 350.org, said:

“As we look towards COP31 in Türkiye, there is no more room for complacency or empty promises. The world cannot afford another climate summit that falls short on action. Türkiye must work with Australia and other governments to show real leadership and deliver clear, credible pathways away from fossil fuels. That means putting an end to our dependence on coal, oil and gas and accelerating a just transition to renewable energy. The science is clear, the solutions are available, and communities are already paying the price of delay. COP31 must be the moment when implementation means more than words, when governments turn their commitments into concrete plans to phase out fossil fuels and secure a safer, fairer future for all.”

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