October 5, 2026
Nadi, Fiji | 11am, 6 October 2026 — Pacific leaders called for climate, biodiversity and ocean finance to better recognise Indigenous leadership, customary governance and community priorities during discussions at Pre-COP31.
The call came at the event, Indigenous Leadership in Blue Pacific Finance, a regional Talanoa convened by Conservation International in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. During the event, participants explored how finance can deliver lasting outcomes for people and nature when Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities play a central role in shaping, governing and accessing investment.
The Talanoa featured keynote addresses from Acting British High Commissioner to Fiji Steph Lysaght and First Nations Ambassador Justin Mohamed of the Australian Government, who highlighted the importance of Indigenous leadership and locally led approaches in addressing climate, biodiversity and ocean challenges across the Pacific.
Steph Lysaght emphasised that the UK will keep investing in approaches that are built around community voices. “Pacific Island countries are the custodians of marine ecosystems the world depends on, and their perspectives on ocean governance must be mainstreamed into global decision-making. The UK's role is to back that stewardship, including by helping secure the finance needed to sustain this. Through our flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme, we've seen how practical, flexible financing, like the Sustainable Blue Loan framework developed by Conservation International with the Fiji Development Bank, can turn ambition into action for the people who know these waters and these islands best.”
The session brought together Indigenous and customary leaders, youth representatives, conservation practitioners, government and development partners, and the Fiji Development Bank to explore how climate and conservation finance can move beyond short-term projects towards approaches that are long-term, flexible and locally led.
Filimone Waqabaca, Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Development Bank, highlighted the importance of designing finance around community needs and strengthening local capacity. “The starting point has to be understanding the socio-economic and environmental needs of communities. When we have that understanding, we can develop financial products that are relevant to the community and support both conservation and sustainable livelihoods.”
Taholo Kami, CEO and Principal Partner, Kami Pasifiki, said conservation finance needs to be more accessible to communities. “Conservation finance needs to be long-term, flexible and predictable if it is going to work for communities. We need to look at how we remove some of the barriers that prevent resources from reaching the people who are doing the conservation work.”
The discussion also underscored the importance of customary leadership, with Ratu Sakiusa Balemainabosevakaturaga Taukena, Chief of Ra, emphasising that customary leaders and communities need to be involved in decisions about finance from the outset.
Dr Winifereti Nainoca, environmental scientist and sustainable development adviser, reinforced the need for governments and partners to create an enabling environment for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to lead the design and governance of climate, biodiversity and ocean finance.
Young Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities leader Alumita Lomalagi brought an intergenerational perspective, highlighting the importance of ensuring young people and women have meaningful opportunities to shape and lead conservation finance within their communities.
Mere Lakeba, Interim Pacific Lead at Conservation International, said: “Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are stewards of the lands and seas that sustain their livelihoods while providing ecosystem benefits that extend far beyond national borders. Climate finance needs to recognize and strengthen that leadership. If we want lasting outcomes for people and nature, solutions must be built around community knowledge, priorities and governance systems. When it is, it can strengthen local leadership and deliver benefits from the local level to the regional and global scale."
The event was convened as part of the Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative, a partnership between the UK government, Conservation International and the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, supported through the UK’s Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme, which works with Pacific governments, communities and regional partners to strengthen inclusive ocean governance, community-led monitoring and sustainable financing.
ENDS
For media inquiries or photos from the event please contact:
Emmeline Johansen, Senior Communications Director – Asia Pacific, Conservation International | ejohansen@conservation.org +64 277793401 (NZL, Whatsapp)
About the Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative: The Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative is a partnership between the UK government, Conservation International and the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, supported through the UK’s Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme. Working with Pacific governments, communities and regional partners, the initiative supports stronger and inclusive ocean governance, community-led monitoring and sustainable financing, while building regional readiness for implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty. The initiative also supports national and regional priorities for ocean protection and contributes to the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.
About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work on From the Field, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
About UK International Development: This project is supported by the UK government through its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Funding for the Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative is delivered through Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA), the UK’s flagship regional programme to build climate resilience in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific islands.