The following is a transcript of remarks delivered by UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell at the official opening of Pre-COP in Fiji on Wednesday 7 October 2026.
Excellencies, dear friends,
I thank the Government of Fiji for its hospitality.
And the Governments of Türkiye, Australia and the Pacific islands for their dedication to COP31.
Limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius is demanded by science, agreed by nations, and essential for the survival of small islands - including here in the Pacific, and in my region, the Caribbean.
But science is telling us that overshoot of 1.5 is now inevitable.
The world must mobilise in response. To keep the breach as short and as small as possible.
By delivering on globally agreed commitments and goals. By fully implementing, and where possible overachieving, on national plans.
By the second global stocktake of climate action at COP33, we must be much closer to meeting the targets set at the first. Laying the ground for even greater ambition.
That demands action.
First, we must recognise the reality of our situation.
Climate impacts are escalating. This will get worse as we head into overshoot. Yet preparedness lags behind.
COP needs to acknowledge this truth, and the urgent need to strengthen resilience.
Second, we need to ensure COPs are designed to deliver.
At UN Climate Change we are looking at the process - at developing the practical architecture that drives implementation.
And we need governments working with cities, states, the private sector, and more to supercharge action.
So, third, here at Pre-COP we must move discussions forward.
To ensure COP31 drives progress - including on 1.5 and for climate vulnerable nations.
The Global Climate Action Agenda, and the negotiations can accelerate implementation - supporting countries to deliver their National Adaption Plans and NDCs.
Finance is vital. Commitments must be delivered. Access and quality must be addressed.
The Statement and Action Plan on Access to Climate Finance for SIDS and LDCs can play an important role.
But it needs all of us behind it to succeed.
That means those on the boards of development banks - and others - using their influence to ensure finance reaches the ground rapidly.
I also urge countries, business leaders, investors and more to respond to the COP31 Presidency's call on the Action Agenda.
Including for electricity to reach 35% of global energy use by 2035.
Electrification is a golden opportunity, particularly for small islands:
To break free of fossil fuel dependency - bringing down costs, building resilience, and powering sustainable development.
Because responding to 1.5 overshoot is also about responding to the world today:
To fossil fuel markets chaos, to escalating disasters, and to the undeniable economic logic driving the clean energy transition and climate action across all sectors.
It is in every nation's immediate interest to act.
I thank you.
