Across the Pacific, young people are bringing their lived experiences, ideas and leadership into the climate conversations shaping their future.

Over the past few months, the Pacific Youth Talanoa Series brought together young people, climate advocates, faith leaders, government representatives, civil society organisations and development partners in a collective effort to strengthen youth engagement in climate policy and advocacy ahead of COP31. Grounded in Pacific traditions of talanoa, the three dialogues created space for young people from across Oceania to connect, share experiences and identify the climate priorities that matter most to them.

The journey culminated in the Regional Conference of Youth Oceania and the development of a Pacific Youth Climate Statement, bringing together shared priorities and recommendations from young people across the region.

Why the Series Mattered

Pacific youth are living with the impacts of climate change in their communities, but they are still not always represented in the spaces where climate decisions are made.

The Talanoa Series sought to help close that gap by amplifying Pacific youth perspectives on climate action and resilience, strengthening their participation in national, regional and global climate processes, and creating space for dialogue across sectors. It also aimed to build a stronger collective youth agenda around the climate issues affecting their communities and future.

Across the three dialogues, participants shared experiences, identified common priorities and strengthened connections across the region. What began as a series of conversations grew into a wider platform for youth climate advocacy, culminating in the Regional Conference of Youth Oceania.

Reaching Across the Blue Pacific

The Talanoa Series sought to reflect the diversity of Pacific youth by bringing together participants from across Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia, both in person and virtually.

Young people joined from youth networks, environmental organisations, faith communities, academia, government agencies, community groups and climate movements. The hybrid format helped widen participation, including for those living in remote and geographically dispersed parts of the region.

The series also placed emphasis on gender equality, disability inclusion and intergenerational dialogue, while creating opportunities for first-time participants to engage in regional climate conversations.

A Conversation Strengthened by Partnership

A key strength of the Talanoa Series was the range of voices brought into the conversation.

Young people engaged directly with government representatives, regional leaders, climate experts, faith leaders and community advocates. Contributors included Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Climate Change, the Director of Environment, representatives from the Pacific Youth Council, Reverend Upolu Lumā Vaai, youth facilitators from the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform, and other regional stakeholders.

These exchanges gave young people opportunities to share their perspectives directly with decision-makers, while also gaining a better understanding of climate policy processes, regional priorities and pathways for advocacy.

Importantly, the conversations were not one-directional. Young people were recognised not simply as beneficiaries of climate action, but as partners bringing lived experience, ideas and solutions into the discussion.

What Pacific Youth Discussed

Across the series, several common themes emerged.

Young people spoke about climate change as a challenge already affecting many aspects of Pacific life, from food security and livelihoods to culture, identity, health and wellbeing.

They raised concerns around sea-level rise, coastal erosion, stronger cyclones, displacement and increasing pressure on communities and ecosystems.

Discussions also centred on climate justice and accountability, loss and damage, access to climate finance, inclusive adaptation and resilience, Indigenous and traditional knowledge, climate education, green jobs and economic opportunities, mental health and wellbeing, and stronger inclusion of women, persons with disabilities and young people in climate responses.

A recurring message was that Pacific youth do not want to be seen only through the lens of vulnerability. They also want recognition for the knowledge, leadership and solutions they are already contributing in their communities.

Youth Voices from Across Oceania

Throughout the Talanoa Series, young people consistently called for greater inclusion in climate decision-making.

Many stressed that participation must move beyond consultation toward genuine partnership, with young people represented in the spaces where decisions about their future are being made.

The series also created opportunities for participants to connect with peers from across the region, exchange experiences and strengthen a shared sense of Pacific solidarity.

For many, that regional connection was as important as the formal discussions themselves: different experiences, but many shared concerns, priorities and aspirations.

Amplifying Pacific Youth Voices

The impact of the Talanoa Series extended well beyond the dialogue rooms.

Youth perspectives from the series were also shared through regional and national media, social media, partner networks and youth-led platforms, helping bring wider attention to the issues raised throughout the process.

Coverage included interviews, feature stories, video content and social media highlighting youth perspectives and the outcomes of the dialogues.

These communications efforts helped extend the reach of the Talanoa Series and strengthen visibility for Pacific youth climate advocacy in the lead-up to major regional and global climate discussions.