“0.2% of the world's climate finance is going to small island developing states for adaptation. 0.2 for countries whose very existence is at stake. That's got to change. … Australia, New Zealand, and the Green Climate Fund are co-funding the expansion of Tuvalu by 30% by land reclamation to give them a chance. We are literally making Tuvalu bigger so they have a chance of survival.”
Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast · Climate & Energy · November 2026
Context
Asked about Pacific priorities at COP31, the minister says access to finance is a main focus because the most vulnerable countries get the least, and gives the Tuvalu land-reclamation project as an example.
Transcript
…your emissions by 90%. 90% is a lot better than 60%, but 60 beats the hell out of zero. We and the Turkish team didn't come up with this out of thin air. We looked at what is necessary to give us a chance at 1.5. And this was the big missing piece, we think, of the international conversation.
…COP and this one, is the recent studies that say that we are almost now having to say goodbye to 1.5 without overshoot. That would have to be in the negotiating text. So let's move now to your part of the responsibilities, the negotiating text. How are you planning on addressing that in the text?
Yes, you know, the UNEP report is very strong and clear that the world will overshoot 1.5. But if you read that UNEP report, as you and I have both done, it's not an excuse for giving up. You know, some the deniers and delayers will say, oh, it's all too hard. Look, you've overshot while you're bothering. That report makes it clear. The smaller the overshoot and the quicker you get back, the better the planet is. So it's even more reason to keep going, not less. Second point, I mean, that was the decision at Paris, which you were a key player. And as you know better than anyone, a whole bunch of people were saying, don't worry about 1.5, we'll just go for two. And small island developing states and those most vulnerable said, not on your nilly. We're not accepting anything other than 1.5. And the outcome was there. So we can't walk away from that. That's walking away from Paris. So and walking away from everything that the Marshalls, Marshall Islands and all the other small island developing states fought so hard for. Now, how does that reflect in the text? Well, we've announced we're doing a presidency-led decision. You know, outside the COP world, that doesn't…
Indeed. Well, you have mentioned how 1.5 was brought to the Paris Agreement by the islands and many other vulnerable countries, but very specifically by the Pacific Islands. And as I understand it, they are, of course, behind your plan for 1.5. But they're also interested in this COP to do…
apart from the 1.5, which is important for, you know, all people of goodwill around the world, there are two things we really want to focus on the negotiations to give a voice to the Pacific and all small island developing states. Oceans, as you said, and I think about oceans in terms of the…
Well, I am sure they are delighted to hear that. Minister Bowen, would you tolerate a domestic question?
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