What are pre-COPs?
Pre-COPs are official meetings that are held in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as the Conference of the Parties (COP) [1]. Scheduled to take place approximately one month ahead of COP, they are designed to “help countries test ideas, understand each other’s priorities, identify areas of disagreement and find possible landing zones for agreement” [3]. Lasting from 5 October 2026 until 8 October 2026, this year’s pre-COP meetings brought approximately 4,000 people, including Ministers, investors and industry leaders, from more than 100 nations to the table [4].
The significance of this year’s host country: Fiji and Tuvalu
Although usually hosted by the country who also holds the COP Presidency, these meetings did not take place in Antalya (Türkiye), where COP31 will take place [2]. This change in venue aligns with the Türkiye-Australia Partnership Modalities, which designates the COP31 Presidency to Türkiye and the role of COP31 President of Negotiations to Australia [20][21]. The agreement further clarifies that the pre-COP meetings are to be held “in a Pacific island country (in a location to be decided by the Pacific), supported by the Government of Australia” [20]. Choosing Fiji and Tuvalu as the location for the pre-COP meetings traces back to Australia’s initial bid to co-host COP31 with Pacific island nations to direct international attention to the communities that stand at the frontlines of the intensifying climate crisis: small island developing states (SIDS) [3] [4] [22].
Bringing global attention to the impacts of climate change
Jenny Jessica Chand, Climate Finance Officer at Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Young Negotiator for COP31 highlights the significance of holding such an important meeting in a region that is already severely impacted by the consequences of climate change:
“For me, as a young person from Fiji, having a pre-COP in our region means giving the world an opportunity to see and understand what the Pacific is going through. It is a chance for decision-makers to hear our voices and understand why we continue to raise concerns on the global stage. We contribute very little to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet our communities are already feeling the impacts of climate change. I hope that by being here and hearing our stories, decision-makers can better understand that climate change is not just about numbers and negotiations, but about our homes, our people, our cultures and our future.”
Within her statement, Chand touches upon the aspect of historical responsibility: although being responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, SIDS are among those nations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as sea level rise or the increase of extreme weather events [5]. As a result, people die, properties are damaged and infrastructures are destroyed to an extent “that can easily cripple small economies” [6]. Against this background, the pre-COP meetings were intended to strengthen unity, resilience and power in a call to collective climate action [7].
The Taku Pakasoa Declaration
Image source: https://www.cop31-pacific.com/taku-pakasoa
Adopted during pre-COP on 6 October 2026, the Taku Pakasoa Declaration “represents an unwavering commitment to continue to act on climate change” [8]. The Tuvaluan expression Taku Pakasoa refers to a sense of belonging, unity and collective strength, thus building the cultural foundation for the political decision:
“Each nation is like an individual pā [single pearl-shell fishing lure] distinct in its identity, culture and voice, yet bound to others by a shared ocean, common challenges, mutual responsibility and a unified future.“ [9]
In alignment with this living metaphor, the declaration commends the leadership role of Pacific Island countries, recognizes the importance of elevating the ocean-climate nexus and reaffirms the goal of keeping the increase of average global temperatures below 1.5ºC in comparison to pre-industrial levels [8]. To this end, the international finance architecture must be reformed to deliver accessible, “grant-based and concessional finance at the speed and scale required” [8]. However, this declaration was only signed by only 30 nations, mostly Pacific Island States, but also including France and the United Arab Emirates [10].
To what extent did pre-COP meet expectations?
The pre-COP meetings established an overall positive atmosphere for international cooperation, with representatives from various countries reaffirming the importance of keeping science and solution-oriented approaches at the heart of climate action [11].
Launching new initiatives
Australia became the first nation to endorse Solar Citizens’ initiative Global Rooftop Solar Pledge, supporting a global target to double the number of solar-powered homes worldwide within the next four years [12]. Australia also launched an Access to Finance Statement and Action Plan to improve fast and simple access to climate finance by removing existing barriers [13]. This goal is crucial, considering that nearly one third of the 16 billion USD committed to Pacific states since the Paris Agreement have yet to be delivered [4].
Making climate finance accessible
Several countries, including Denmark, Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands, announced plans to increase their financial contributions to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), a Pacific-led initiative for climate risk and disaster preparedness [13]. It is noteworthy that many island nations see the need for investment in light of the inaccessibility of international climate funds, thus leading them to invest in the PRF themselves. For instance, Fiji has pledged 10 million USD, more than twice as much as the contributions of Denmark and the Netherlands combined [18].
Pacific climate leadership meets global political apathy
Pacific Island State Ministers have also started to develop a regional roadmap on transitioning away from fossil fuels [14]. This reflects a growing political momentum ahead of Tuvalu co-hosting the Second International Conference on the Just Transition from Fossil Fuels with Ireland in July 2027 [15]. However, while the pre-COP meetings were intentionally hosted in Fiji and Tuvalu to attract the attention not only of civil society but also of key political players, only two non-Pacific world leaders, both representing SIDS, were willing to make the journey there [16]. Thus, this conference failed to bring leaders from the world’s largest greenhouse gas-emitting countries to the negotiation table, with many of these represented only by state secretaries [23].
Looking ahead to COP 31
For COP31 to live up to the Presidency’s vision of the “COP of Implementation” [19], it is important to carry forward the constructive spirit from Fiji to Türkiye and move beyond commitments to actual delivery, especially in the areas of adaptation, mitigation, and climate finance. Plans and promises are important steps, but they will not translate into concrete without effective implementation and tangible action.
