The UK has committed £12.9 million in new funding to support Pacific-led climate initiatives, Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West will announce at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Tonga this week. This announcement marks West’s first overseas visit since taking office and goes to show the UK’s renewed focus on global climate action.
Minister West, who arrived in New Zealand on Sunday, 25 August, for discussions on climate, defense, and trade, will emphasise the importance of equipping vulnerable Pacific communities to face the impacts of climate change during her address at the PIF in Nuku’alofa.
“The Government is seeking to reconnect the UK with partners around the world and to return to the forefront of international climate action,” West said ahead of the meeting. “The climate crisis needs global, long-term action – but we must also take rapid steps to support countries on the frontline, like our partners in the Pacific.”
The funding package includes:
- £1.3 million for technical support to establish the Pacific Resilience Facility, a regionally-governed fund providing long-term climate finance.
- £5 million for the UK’s Transforming Energy Access (TEA) Pacific programme, which supports clean, affordable energy solutions like a solar and hydrogen-powered mini-grid system in Papua New Guinea.
- £2 million for technical assistance through the International Monetary Fund to develop financial and climate policy.
- £3 million for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), focusing on environmental conservation.
- £1.6 million for the Digital Earth Pacific program, using satellite data to monitor environmental changes.
In addition to climate action, Minister West will discuss strengthening defense and economic ties with PIF members, including police training and trade partnerships. She will also highlight the role of sport in tackling gender inequality by delivering UK-funded rugby kits to local women’s teams in Tonga.
The UK’s broader climate strategy includes a £4 million contribution to the World Bank’s Accelerating Sustainable Energy Transition (ASET) program and £1 million to support the Pacific Community’s energy security framework.
This funding aligns with Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s commitment to reconnect the UK with global partners and push for coordinated climate action, reinforcing the UK’s role in addressing the climate emergency.
