Pacific Islands Get Their Pre-COP31 Moment, but the Guest List Is Thin

With just days to go before the first pre-COP31 Pacific ministerial opens in Nadi, Fiji, the gathering meant to put Pacific island nations at the centre of global climate diplomacy is attracting attention for an unexpected reason: a strikingly thin guest list. The ministerial runs from 5 to 8 October 2026, with a leaders’ component in Tuvalu on 6 October — but according to a new analysis, only five non-Pacific leaders have confirmed attendance, from Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde, Thailand, Maldives and East Timor.

FAKTA

• Pre-COP31 ministerial: 5–8 October 2026 in Nadi, Fiji, with a leaders’ gathering in Tuvalu on 6 October — the first pre-COP hosted in the Pacific.
• Around 4,000 delegates are expected in Fiji for the ministerial.
• The event was announced in February 2026 by Pacific Islands Forum Chair Jeremiah Manele, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.
• Pacific priorities: holding warming to 1.5°C, ocean protection, and resilience finance via the Pacific Resilience Facility (USD 500 million target, around $200 million pledged).
• Confirmed non-Pacific leaders: only Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde, Thailand, Maldives and East Timor.
• COP31 takes place 9–20 November 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye.

A historic first for the Pacific

Hosting the pre-COP31 is a landmark for the region. Announced in February 2026 by Forum Chair Jeremiah Manele, it is the first time a pre-COP ministerial has been held in the Pacific — a recognition of the moral authority small island developing states carry in climate negotiations. Fiji’s climate minister Lynda Tabuya summed up the mood: “This is our moment.”

With some 4,000 delegates expected in Nadi, it will be one of the largest diplomatic gatherings the Pacific has hosted. For nations on the front line of sea-level rise, the symbolism matters: the Pacific is not asking for a seat at the table — it is setting the table.

Why the pre-COP31 Pacific guest list matters

Western diplomats cited in the analysis point to a simple explanation: travel burden. Flying to the Pacific just weeks before COP31 opens on 9 November in Antalya is a difficult ask for leaders already preparing for the main summit. Australia’s opposition was blunter, describing the low turnout as “a diplomatic disaster.”

The question now is whether the pre-COP can generate real political momentum — or whether substantive decisions will simply wait for Antalya. Follow the same story on the Watan News main site as the meetings unfold.

What the Pacific wants from COP31

The region’s demands are clear: hold global warming to 1.5°C, protect the ocean, and deliver resilience finance — including through the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is targeting USD 500 million with around $200 million pledged so far.

Tuvalu, home to about 10,000 people on low-lying atolls, embodies what is at stake. The country has been reclaiming land against rising seas and investing in solar projects to cut its dependence on diesel. “Our fate will be defined by the major polluters,” Tuvalu’s Climate Minister Maina Talia said.

The road to Antalya

COP31 runs from 9 to 20 November 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, under President-designate Murat Kurum of Türkiye, with Australia’s Chris Bowen as President of Negotiations. Whether the Pacific pre-COP delivers substance or symbolism will become clear in the coming days. What is not in doubt, as set out on the UNFCCC’s official COP31 page, is the Pacific message: for island nations, the 1.5°C limit is a matter of survival.