Fleur Downard from DCCEEW at the 6th AP Forum. Photo ENB/IISD, Kiara Worth.
In late August, we joined 33 countries at the UN Environment Programme’s 6th Forum of Minister and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific (6th AP Forum) in Nadi, Fiji.
Outcomes from this forum will help shape decisions at the 7th Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) later this year. Countries came together to:
set regional priorities on global environmental issues
plan future actions
hear views from youth, Indigenous peoples and other groups across the region.
Australia played an active role in the forum. We:
met with regional partners to strengthen cooperation
assisted Fiji in hosting the forum and discussed global action on coral reefs
recognised the need to deal with plastic pollution in full — from production to disposal
shared Australia’s environmental priorities
highlighted our bid to co-host COP31 with Pacific partners.
Our delegation also spoke at side events about early warning systems for extreme weather, new green technologies, and protecting the ozone layer.
The forum heard about the real-life effects of climate change in the Pacific — including communities in Fiji already having to relocate due to climate change impacts.
Australia will continue to share expertise and work with Pacific and regional partners. Together, we can address shared environmental priorities and work towards a sustainable future for the Asia-Pacific.
