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The briefing warns that Pacific SIDS are facing a convergence of geopolitical and climatic crises. The war in Iran is driving up fuel and food prices due to shipping disruptions and import dependence, leading to states of emergency in Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. This economic strain is expected to be compounded by a strong El Niño in the second half of 2026, which threatens tuna stocks, freshwater access, and agricultural productivity. The document recommends immediate anticipatory action, such as pre-positioning supplies and expanding early warning systems, alongside long-term investments in regenerative agriculture and regional fisheries management.

The authors argue that the upcoming UN General Assembly resolution to operationalize the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on climate change is a critical test of global climate leadership. They assert that the resolution reflects existing legal obligations to prevent climate harm, provide reparations, and ensure a just transition from fossil fuels. While noting resistance from major emitters and oil producers who seek to weaken the text, the authors maintain that the resolution complements existing UNFCCC processes by closing an 'accountability gap' that the treaty regime has failed to address.

The Tassiriki Call, adopted in April 2026, outlines a vision for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific based on 100% renewable energy and the 1.5°C temperature limit. It advocates for a global Fossil Fuel Treaty, scaled-up grant-based finance, and the creation of an Inter-Governmental Taskforce for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific. The statement emphasizes the need for a managed decline of fossil fuel production and warns against the use of carbon capture and geoengineering to justify continued production.

Between 2020 and 2024, climate change increased the number of 'pregnancy heat-risk days'—days exceeding the 95th percentile of local temperatures—in every analyzed country. In 90% of countries and 63% of cities, these risk days at least doubled compared to a world without climate change. The most significant increases occurred in developing regions, particularly the Caribbean, where 15 countries saw an average of at least 60 additional risk days annually, representing roughly one-fifth of a typical pregnancy. Beyond heat, the report notes that climate-driven air pollution, flooding, and infrastructure damage further threaten maternal health and birth outcomes.

The document defines 'loss and damage' as climate change consequences that exceed human adaptation limits, categorizing them into economic losses (e.g., infrastructure damage) and non-economic losses (e.g., cultural loss). It details the evolution of UN negotiations, from the 1991 proposal by Vanuatu to the 2023 operationalization of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), which had pledges totaling $768.4 million as of April 2025. The text emphasizes that this funding is far below the estimated $580 billion needed by vulnerable countries by 2030 and argues for a 'mosaic of solutions' combining public, private, and innovative funding sources to support activities such as humanitarian aid, relocation, and livelihood restoration.

The report finds that human-caused climate change significantly increased extreme heat and health risks globally from December 2024 to February 2025. At least 1.8 billion people experienced temperatures at least twice as likely due to climate change every day of the period, with exposure peaking at 3 billion people on February 28, 2025. Africa was particularly affected, with 293 million people experiencing 30 or more 'risky heat days' added by climate change. The analysis also highlights that 110 out of 220 analyzed countries and 287 out of 940 cities saw the average person experience strong climate influence for at least one-third of the season.

The Gender Action Plan (GAP) for the "Adapting Tuna-dependent Pacific Island Communities and Economies to Climate Change" programme aims to ensure women and men benefit equitably from climate adaptation efforts in 14 Pacific Island Countries. The plan focuses on increasing women's capacity in post-harvest tuna processing and marketing, raising awareness of gender roles in coastal fisheries, and enhancing women's leadership in decision-making. Key activities include gender-responsive training for FAD fishers, improving hygienic working conditions for fish sellers, and integrating gender considerations into national disaster response and high-level negotiation training. The programme is managed by the Pacific Community (SPC) and Conservation International (CI), with dedicated Gender & Environmental and Social Safeguards (GESI) officers overseeing implementation and monitoring through sex-disaggregated data.

The report assesses gender dynamics in the Pacific fisheries sector, noting that while fishing is viewed as a male domain, women play critical but often invisible roles in post-harvest processing and marketing. It identifies risks such as the potential for FAD investments to overlook women's needs and the high prevalence of gender-based violence in the region. The document proposes regional objectives to increase recognition of women's roles, improve working conditions for fish sellers, and provide training in tuna processing. It includes detailed gender profiles for participating nations, highlighting specific bottlenecks like limited women's representation in decision-making and the impact of climate change on coastal resources.

The document outlines seven criteria for 'health-inclusive' NDCs, including alignment with 1.5°C warming limits, healthcare sector adaptation, and the reduction of super-pollutants. It provides a roadmap for civil society to engage governments, suggests interministerial coordination strategies, and identifies common barriers—such as ministerial silos and lack of data—alongside corresponding solutions to ensure health is prioritised in national climate plans.

The report finds that human-induced climate change significantly increased the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat globally from May 2023 to May 2024. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the study determined that 6.3 billion people experienced at least 31 days of extreme heat made at least twice as likely by climate change. It identifies 76 extreme heat waves across 90 countries and highlights critical gaps in impact reporting, particularly in developing regions. The authors advocate for City Heat Action Plans and systemic adaptations to prevent heat-related fatalities.

The report examines the pathways for a just energy transition in the Pacific, highlighting that while 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) contribute only 0.23% of global emissions, they are disproportionately affected by climate change. It estimates the upfront cost of replacing fossil fuel electricity generation in eight profiled PICs between $691 million and $1 billion USD. The document argues that a just transition must go beyond technology swaps to include economic diversification, poverty eradication, and the protection of workers, particularly in Papua New Guinea's fossil fuel sector. It also warns of a 'double exposure' where the region faces both climate impacts and potential environmental damage from increased mining of Energy Transition Metals (ETMs).

The document assesses gender dynamics, legal frameworks, and socioeconomic baselines in Palau, FSM, and RMI to ensure that ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) interventions are gender-responsive. It identifies significant gaps in sex-disaggregated data and highlights high rates of gender-based violence across the region. The report proposes a Small Grants Facility (SGF) with specific gender screening tools and quotas to ensure women's equitable access to finance, decision-making, and technical training. It emphasizes the value of traditional knowledge held by women in managing coastal and terrestrial resources to build climate resilience.

The Pacific Community (SPC), a regional Direct Access Entity, seeks USD 200,000 over 12 months to update its MEL systems to align with the GCF's Integrated Results Management Framework (IRMF). The project aims to replace manual, non-standardised reporting with a centralised MEL tool to improve data aggregation and portfolio-level management for its GCF projects in Pacific Small Island Developing States.

The GCF's direct access modality, primarily operationalized through institutional accreditation, has largely failed to enable a diverse range of national entities to access funding at scale. While the number of Direct Access Entities (DAEs) has grown, the portfolio remains highly concentrated among a few well-resourced financial institutions, with 63% of DAEs having no approved projects. The report finds that the high transaction costs of accreditation and project design favor high-capacity institutions, while support mechanisms like the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme (RPSP) and Project Preparation Facility (PPF) have not effectively leveled the playing field. Implementation challenges for DAEs are similar to those of International Accredited Entities (IAEs), though DAEs show better adaptability to national governance disruptions. The report recommends diversifying access pathways beyond accreditation, clarifying the strategic vision for direct access, and enhancing implementation support.

The GCF is implementing a four-pillar operational framework to enhance coordination with other climate funds. Key achievements include the establishment of a joint steering committee for the Long-Term Vision (LTV) with the GEF, the fast-track reaccreditation of nine entities with the AF, and the development of a joint GCF-GEF pavilion for COP 26 and COP 27. The report details specific funding proposals and readiness grants that demonstrate national programming coherence, as well as ongoing technical dialogues to harmonize results indicators and impact measurement methodologies across funds.

The GCF Secretariat exceeded several 2021 targets, allocating USD 1.2 billion in a single board meeting and reaching a total portfolio size of USD 10 billion. Key achievements include increasing the share of direct access entity (DAE) programming and reducing the time from project approval to first disbursement. However, the Secretariat faces significant capacity constraints in processing a pipeline of over 150 accreditation and re-accreditation applications, and the simplified approval process (SAP) remains the only programming target not met.

The Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Investment Program, funded with USD 17 million in GCF grants, aims to transition seven Pacific SIDS—the Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga—away from diesel power. Component 1 focused on installing Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the Cook Islands to improve grid stability and load shifting, while Component 2 provided technical assistance for sector reform and capacity building across all target countries. The evaluation finds that while BESS installation has progressed, the lack of timely procurement for solar independent power producers (IPPs) has left some storage capacity idle. Component 2's effectiveness was significantly hampered by COVID-19 travel restrictions, though progress was made in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The report highlights the need to synchronize BESS and solar procurement and suggests a 'portfolio approach' to regional utility reform to diversify risk.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has increased its focus on climate change in State reviews, shifting from a primary focus on developing nations to a balanced approach including developed countries. Key areas of concern include adaptation, child participation, and a growing emphasis on mitigation obligations, specifically targeting fossil fuel subsidies and emissions in the transport and aviation sectors. The CRC is also increasingly scrutinizing the role of financial institutions in funding fossil fuels. Legally, the CRC established in the Sacchi et al. v. Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey case that it has jurisdiction over transboundary harm if a causal link exists between a State's emissions and the impairment of children's rights abroad, although the specific claim was dismissed on procedural grounds for failing to exhaust domestic remedies.

The report analyzes the 2020-2021 outputs of seven UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs), noting a significant increase in climate-related references despite COVID-19 disruptions. It highlights a shift toward questioning developed nations on mitigation and fossil fuel extraction, alongside a consistent focus on adaptation and the participation of vulnerable groups. The document also examines key individual communications, such as Teitiota v. New Zealand and Sacchi et al. v. Argentina et al., which establish precedents for climate-induced human rights violations and extraterritorial jurisdiction.

The Cook Islands, a Small Island Developing State highly vulnerable to climate change and economic shocks, utilized GCF readiness support to overcome capacity gaps. Between 2016 and 2019, the country received four grants totaling USD 1.9 million to strengthen its National Designated Authority (NDA), accredit the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) as a Direct Access Entity, and develop a national country programme. These efforts aimed to improve the country's ability to design and implement transformative climate projects and access larger funding streams.