UNICEF Pacific

Last week in Fiji, I had the privilege of talking with young people who inspired me. Gathered through the Australia Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue ahead of Pre-COP31, young participants from across the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and beyond shared the challenges facing their communities and the solutions they are championing. There was a clear urgency in the voice of Ashwini, who presented the 12-point agenda the young climate champions had developed over the past days – a blueprint for action: Maintain our commitment to 1.5 degrees; Be accountable; Keep loss and damage discussions at the centre of climate justice. The Pacific is bearing the brunt of climate change, and El Niño threatens to put further pressure on communities. Across Asia-Pacific, an estimated 190 million children live in areas forecast to experience unusually wet or dry conditions between October and December. Alongside conversations with youth, visits to communities in Rakiraki gave me reasons for hope. I saw how UNICEF’s investments in essential services, supported by our partners, are already bringing practical improvements for children and families. At Rakiraki Hospital, upgraded water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and solar-powered systems are strengthening health services. At the Nayavuira Nursing Station, accessible only by boat, a solar-powered and gravity-fed water supply system is making safe water more reliable. Maritina Tinaisoni, a zone nurse, talked to me about working and living in such an isolated place. In an emergency, it would take hours to get a pregnant mother to the closest hospital on the mainland. I asked her whether she could deliver a baby if there wasn’t enough time.  “Yes,” she proudly replied. At Saivou Kindergarten, I saw how reforms supporting pre-primary teachers and extending learning to a full day are taking shape. Karalaini Marama, one of the educators, explained that she was studying for a degree while working full-time. This visit reinforced how closely health care, safe water and education are connected in children’s lives. When a cyclone hits or drought takes hold, these services must keep functioning together, and climate investments must reflect that. It is professionals like Maritina and Karalaini who build resilience in their communities. It is they that we need to invest in.  As we look ahead to #COP31, governments and financing partners must scale what works with timely, flexible funding that supports local-led solutions and reaches communities before the next shock. Young people and families most exposed, including those in remote and outer-island communities, must help shape those investments.  I left Fiji hopeful about the commitment I had witnessed. Young people are already building a more resilient future.   UNICEF Australia UNICEF Pacific UNICEF Asia and the Pacific Lindsey, Julianna Gernot Laganda Jen Stephens

The past two weeks in Nadi, Fiji, have been a valuable opportunity to engage in regional climate dialogue, exchange perspectives, and strengthen connections with fellow Pacific youth advocates. During the Australia Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue (APYCD), I participated for the second year, this time as a member of the Youth Steering Committee, having attended as a participant last year. I also served on the drafting committee for the APYCD Youth Outcome Statement, which was successfully finalised. At the Pre-COP3, I participated in 2 side events, including a session with Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) and a dedicated APYCD event where my fellow youth representatives and I presented the Youth Outcome Statement. These experiences reinforced the importance of meaningful youth participation in climate decision-making. Young people bring valuable perspectives, lived experiences, and innovative solutions that must be recognised and reflected in climate policies and actions. My sincere appreciation to UNICEF Australia & UNICEF Pacific for the opportunity to be part of APYCD, and to PICAN for the opportunity to engage in PreCOP. I am also grateful to everyone I met, learned from, and collaborated with throughout these two weeks. I return inspired to continue amplifying Pacific youth voices and advocating for their meaningful inclusion in the spaces where decisions about our collective future are made. 🔗 Read the APYCD Youth Outcome Statement: [https://lnkd.in/gC8vQpMt]

As a Co-Chair of the 2026 Australian Pacific Youth Dialogue I saw young people from across the Pacific and Oceania region come to Nadi, Fiji already equipped with the required knowledge and solutions for our growing climate crises. We do have stories to share and communities to represent but we also have the answers.