Overview:
At COP31, Pacific island nations called for climate partnerships that prioritize local needs and national leadership. Discussions highlighted Tuvalu’s climate-resilient housing and land reclamation projects and Palau’s cooperation with Japan on rooftop solar energy.
By Elilai Rengiil
ANTALYA, Türkiye – Pacific small island developing states (SIDS) called for climate partnerships that put local needs first at a COP31 side event, looking at examples in the region such as Tuvalu’s housing and infrastructure plans and Palau’s solar energy cooperation with Japan.
The November 10 discussion at the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion examined how international support can deliver clean energy, reliable water, and resilient communities.
“Different islands, one message: partnership delivers when it is built around island realities,” said Steve Moruri, a data analyst at Palau’s Office of Climate Change.
Tuvalu’s experience showed how national priorities can shape donor support. Temate Melitiana, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Public Works, Infrastructure Development, and Water, said donors initially opposed land reclamation that Tuvalu considered important for its future.
The government launched its first major reclamation initiative in 2015 with national funding to address coastal erosion and strengthen resilience. Melitiana said the reclaimed land now accommodates facilities for meetings and community gatherings.
“After partners saw how successful it was, they now support us in our reclamation efforts. We are grateful for their support,” he said.
Later work under the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) added 7.8 hectares in 2023 and another eight hectares with TCAP 1A in 2025. Some of the partners for the TCAP1A included Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Melitiana said that the second site would be ready for development in November 2026 following a one-year defect liability period.
Plans for the TCAP1A development combine climate-resilient housing, water supply, drainage, sanitation and an evacuation centre. Melitiana stressed that these services must be planned together, with adequate funding, technical capacity, and land-use management, rather than developed as separate projects.
“Resilience must be designed as a system, not as individual projects,” stressed Melitiana.
While Tuvalu is seeking support for land development and essential infrastructure and services, Palau is working with Japan on clean energy through their Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), which supports projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Moruri highlighted progress under the JCM with Japan, which supports projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Moruri said the two governments completed their first international transfer of emissions reductions under the mechanism on May 16, 2026. The transfer covered 194 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in reductions achieved in 2021 through four registered rooftop solar projects.
Although the volume was small, he said, the transfer demonstrated that the process and system put in place works.
Tuvalu called for international partnerships to improve access to climate finance, technology, and technical expertise while keeping Pacific leadership and nationally driven solutions at the center of investment.