While the world’s biggest polluters dominate the headlines this week at the UN climate summit with an array of sensationalist pledges and announcements, designed mainly to distract us all from a lack of real climate action, one of the biggest scandals of all is taking place right under our noses.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice (PEV) welcomes the hosting of 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM52) from 06 – 10 November 2023 in Rarotonga under the theme of “Our Voices, Our Choices, Our Pacific Way: Promote, Partner, Prosper”.

Japan and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)’s reckless decision to discharge over 1.3 million tonnes of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into our Blue Pacific is a testimony to the dangers of nuclear power.

This week the Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy will fly to Fiji to meet with Pacific Climate Ministers to galvanise their support for Australia’s bid to co-host the 2026 United Nations Climate Conference, COP31.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice (PEV) expresses grave concerns about the recently announced AUKUS partnership presented as “deepening of long standing diplomatic, security and defense cooperation to meet the challenges of the future”.

We note, with deep concern, Japan’s decision to release treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. According to reports, the release of more than a million tonnes of water, which has been filtered to reduce radioactivity,

We, Pacific Elders, from across the Blue Pacific write to convey our heartiest congratulations on your election as Prime Minister and the victory of the Labour Party at the recent federal elections.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice reiterates that the primary security threat to the Pacific is climate change.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuse in West Papua.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice welcomes the convening of the 7th Our Oceans Conference in Palau on the 13-14 April.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice is an independent group of Pacific people who have been leaders in the region.

The Pacific Elders’ Voice (PEV) notes with alarm the findings of the IPCC AR6 Report on ‘Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.

We the Pacific Elders Voice strongly and unconditionally condemn the invasion of the Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

Need for Strong Regulatory Measures and Governance for Deep Seabed Mining Operations in the Pacific.

His Majesty the King & Government of Tonga.

We, Pacific Elders from across the Blue Pacific send you our warm greetings and write to you with sentiments of goodwill and best wishes on your leadership of this august body.

Pacific Elders’ Voice have urged the French President to respect the wishes of indigenous leaders in New Caledonia who have called for the deferral of the third independence Referendum due to a spike in COVID related deaths.

The G20 must commit to a New Marshall Plan for Climate Change Action.