Around 300 participants, including families and youth, gathered early this morning for the EUWalk4ClimateAction event organized by the European Union Delegation to the Pacific.

The 5-kilometer walk brought together people from all walks of life with a shared goal to raise awareness about the urgent need for climate resilience and sustainable practices in the Pacific region.

The event saw participants of all ages including children below the age of seven joining their families in this impactful initiative.

EU Ambassador to the Pacific Barbara Plinkert stressed on the heightened urgency of climate action.

Ambassador Plinkert highlighted that the EU remains steadfast in its pursuit of climate neutrality by 2050, aligning with the global aim to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Barbara Plinkert during the EUWalk4ClimateAction event [Source: European Union in the Pacific/Facebook]

She adds that COP29 will be pivotal in setting new targets for climate finance and in implementing the Loss and Damage Fund, which was agreed upon last year to support vulnerable countries.

“We can see this every day rising there’s rising temperatures, rising sea levels, the more unpredictable weather patterns, there are more natural disasters. There’s declining biodiversity, and we see it everywhere in the world. We are seeing flooding. We have seen it here in Fiji recently. We have seen devastating floods in Spain not long ago, we see cyclones. We see many, many very extreme weather events happening all over the world, and the global cost of climate change is enormous.”

Barbara Plinkert [right] during the EUWalk4ClimateAction event [Source: European Union in the Pacific/Facebook]

The EUWalk4ClimateAction initiative is part of the EU’s ongoing commitment to addressing climate challenges faced by Pacific Island nations.

This year’s walk is not only a symbol of solidarity but also a call to action, emphasizing the role of collective efforts in fostering a sustainable, climate-resilient future for the Pacific region.