Fiji’s Climate Champion: Former President Katonivere Urges Pacific Indigenous Knowledge at the Heart of COP31 Talks

Speaking as a Climate Champion at the Pacific Media Summit’s Pre-COP31 session in Savusavu, former Fiji President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere has urged that Pacific communities’ traditional knowledge and local climate solutions be placed at the very centre of the discussions heading toward COP31 — insisting that the voices of Indigenous peoples must carry into the halls of the UN climate conference.

FAKTA

• Who: Ratu Wiliame Katonivere — Fiji’s 6th President (2021–2024) and Tui Macuata, speaking as a Climate Champion
• Where: Pacific Media Summit’s Pre-COP31 session, Savusavu, Fiji
• Message: Pacific Indigenous knowledge and community-led climate solutions must be integrated into regional and global climate discourse ahead of COP31
• Core call: Combine traditional knowledge with scientific evidence; put Pacific communities’ stories at the centre of COP31 deliberations
• Next stop: COP31 — the 31st UN climate conference, 9–20 November 2026, Antalya, Türkiye

A Climate Champion’s message to the world

Addressing journalists and media leaders in Savusavu, Katonivere argued that Pacific island nations — among the most affected by climate change — must ensure that the contributions and experiences of Indigenous peoples and local communities are reflected in regional and global climate discussions. He called on the media to carry Pacific communities’ traditional knowledge and local climate solutions into international negotiations, and asked for greater media collaboration to elevate those narratives.

“The time for action is now, and one of the ways we can take action is to share our stories and experiences,” Katonivere told the session.

Pacific communities manage fishing grounds and marine areas through traditional custodianship. Former President Katonivere says this indigenous knowledge must be reflected in COP31 deliberations.

Wise custodians: knowledge older than the crisis

The Climate Champion described Indigenous peoples and local communities as long-standing custodians of forests, oceans, rivers, flora and fauna. Traditional knowledge, he said, has helped protect natural resources for generations and should be combined with scientific evidence and new approaches to address growing climate threats such as pollution and drought.

“Our forefathers were wise custodians, and they were gifted with the pristine environment that we enjoy today,” Katonivere said. “They set the precedent for us and we owe it to our future generations to manage our environment and resources.”

The Macuata example

Katonivere illustrated his message with the conservation work underway in Macuata, his home province in northern Fiji, where traditional resource owners collaborate with government bodies and environmental organisations. The partnership has been pivotal in protecting marine areas and fishing grounds, enabling communities to take proactive steps in conservation — often without reliance on donor funding. He said collaboration between resource owners, government and environmental organisations has been critical to those efforts.

Threats to nature, culture and identity

Katonivere warned that climate change, pollution and drought now threaten not only the environment and livelihoods but also Pacific culture and identity. “Significant flora and fauna are cultural tokens that contribute to our cultural heritage,” he said, stressing that the resources of forests and oceans are crucial for Pacific languages and culture.

Road to Antalya

The intervention comes as the region gears up for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026 — a conference at which Pacific nations are pressing to anchor negotiations in the lived reality of frontline communities. Katonivere’s call challenges not only policymakers and development partners but also the media: to highlight traditional knowledge as a vital contributor to climate resilience, and to make sure community voices are heard as the world negotiates its next decade of climate action.

Read this story on Watan News. Sources: PINA: Pacific communities must have their climate solutions heard at COP31; FijiGlobalNews: Fiji’s Climate Champion Urges Inclusion of Pacific Indigenous Knowledge in COP31 Discussions.