Press Conference, COP30

POLYCARP PAEA, SOLOMON ISLANDS MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE, DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND METEOROLOGY: Good afternoon. Excellency, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Pacific Island Forum Chair, Prime Minister of Solomon Island and Pacific Island Forum leaders, I reiterate our leaders' appreciation to Australia for its efforts in resolving the hosting arrangement we take here, while ensuring that a strong Pacific voice is present at COP31. We truly value the strong commitment and the partnership. We welcome efforts by our Pacific partners including Australia to bring a focus on the devastating impact of climate change on our region through a Pacific COP. These impacts have been unrelenting over a number of years. This is why we have strongly supported Australia's bid to host COP31. We congratulate both Australia and Türkiye for undertaking this important global process in a collaborative manner, inclusive of the Pacific, and in the same way acknowledge and appreciate the Western Europe and other groups, voting blocs for accommodating the Australia and Pacific Partnership approach towards COP31.

The agreement reached between Australia and Türkiye confirms that the Pacific is a full partner in the road to COP31. One of the most important outcomes is that the pre-COP will be held in the Pacific. With the agenda set jointly by Australia and the Pacific Island countries, this is more than symbolism. It is recognition that our region must lead on issues that affect our survival. Hosting pre-COP in the Pacific Island countries, including a leaders' component, is an opportunity to show firsthand the impacts of climate change on Pacific Island countries and hear voices and solutions from the region. We also note the significant win for the small island developing states. In particular, the COP31 will host a dedicated session on the climate finance needs of small island developing states. This session will be a platform for concrete pledges including to our Pacific Resilience Facility which remains the region's flagship for community level adaptation and resilience. Australia presiding over COP31 negotiation and the opportunity to champion thematic priorities in collaboration with Australia and Türkiye is also a significant opportunity to ensure our combined leadership in pushing forward the climate action agenda. I thank you.

[Applause]

RALPH REGENVANU, VANUATU MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, METEOROLOGY, GEO-HAZARDS AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT: Thank you. We would like to congratulate Türkiye on becoming the President of COP31 and Australia for becoming the President of Negotiations of COP31. It is a unique arrangement, it’s unprecedented, but I believe there will be many more to come because it is a great model, especially for smaller countries who can’t afford to host a COP but would like to be involved in the agenda setting which for us is the most important thing.

I would like to make a special thank you Minister Chris Bowen in this process. It has been a very difficult negotiation and we know that because we have been behind Australia for years in this bid. We know how difficult it has been but I want to thank Minister Bowen especially for the transparency and the trust which you have shown to the Pacific leaders. We have always been consulted, always had prior approval of any arrangements and that is what was- the commitment made to us and it was honoured all the way until today.

And we're very happy that we have a decision, a COP decision, a text decision on this arrangement, an agreement between Türkiye and Australia and we are calling on Australia and Türkiye to honour what has been agreed here at the COP and what is in the text and we call on all parties to respect the mandate that has been given to Türkiye and Australia. And we look forward to being involved with Australia in guiding the negotiations in COP31. And thank you so much for the opportunity. The Pacific has never had this opportunity. This is the first time and we will definitely make the most of it to make sure that our priorities are reflected and also, as you know, the Pacific has always been the voice of ambition. The COP process and the UNFCCC process, I will look forward to seeing this ambition reflected in the outcomes from COP31. Thank you.

STEVEN VICTOR, PALAU MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, AND ENVIRONMENT: A very good evening to all. I want to thank Australia and it’s partnership with the Pacific and especially the very strong leadership of Minister Bowen in his effort that has been very inclusive with the Pacific to ensure that wherever COP31 may be held, that it reflects and incorporates the priorities of the Pacific. This is a great opportunity for a small island developing state to continue to advocate for its special circumstance, its vulnerability to climate change, and its efforts to triple climate finance in order for us to survive as people, as cultures, and as countries. It is also an opportunity to highlight the very important role of the oceans in climate negotiations, which so far has not been the centre of the agenda. As we know, climate is important, oceans is important for Pacific, for livelihoods, not only for the Pacific, but for the world, as we provide over 50 per cent of the global supply of tuna. So ensuring healthy ocean is not only important for the Pacific, it is important for the world, but more important for ensuring climate action. Thank you.

CHRIS BOWEN, AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY: Thank you, Ministers. Now the President of COP30 needs this room in about six minutes, so we've got time for two questions. Sir?

JOURNALIST: Yes, Seth Borenstein, Associated Press. Minister Bowen, can you explain how COP31 will…

JOURNALIST: If you hope in COP31, to do more on fossil fuel transition? And how can you do it when you had a country with President Lula pushing this and they couldn't do it? What can you do differently, especially given Australia and Türkiye’s past?

CHRIS BOWEN: Rich history, Australia and Türkiye. In relation to a transition away from fossil fuels, I'm not going to start getting into the COP31 negotiations because we haven’t quite finished COP30 yet, but I will say this. The transition away from fossil fuel language was first inserted in Dubai. It was Pacific and Australian language, which we argue should be inserted in Dubai, and we were successful in arguing that and that's something that we're pleased about. And obviously we'll continue to argue for things that are in the best interest of Australia and the Pacific together. This won't be an easy negotiation, COP31. No one should pretend it will be. In one way that's why I'm looking forward to it so much because hard negotiations can lead to very good outcomes as recent days have shown.

Okay, we might have to wrap it up there but I'll be around if you want to answer- ask questions outside for a little bit. The President will need this room in a minute or so. Thank you.