Amidst a deepening fossil fuel-driven energy crisis that has triggered the declaration of a state of emergency in multiple Pacific nations, Ministers and senior officials from Tuvalu, Samoa, Fiji, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and Vanuatu concluded the Port Vila II: PSIDS Ministerial Dialogue on the Global Just Transition by launching The Tassiriki Call for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific.
The landmark declaration is a powerful new regional framework affirming the Pacific's shared vision for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific and outlines immediate steps to transition to resilient, 100 % renewable energy economies.
A central demand of the Call is the urgent negotiation and adoption of a global Fossil Fuel Treaty - a binding international mechanism to manage a just, orderly, equitable, and rapid phase-out of coal, oil, and gas. The Call commits participating nations to a coordinated diplomatic strategy to advance the Treaty across all regional and international forums, including the forthcoming Santa Marta Conference and the Second International Conference for the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in Tuvalu.
This event occurring in Vanuatu is especially significant because this was the birthplace of the Port Vila Call for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific back in March 2023. This followed the unprecedented impact of two Category 4 cyclones striking Vanuatu within the same week, prompting six nations to issue the first-ever collective call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty, building on earlier endorsements from Vanuatu and Tuvalu.
Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change, Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo-Hazards, and Energy, said:
"After years of frustration at COPs, the Pacific will be in Santa Marta with a simple message: The fossil fuel-driven energy crisis is not just an environmental disaster; it is an economic and security threat to our very existence. The Tassiriki Call for Fossil Fuel Free Pacific is our blueprint for survival and prosperity. It is a unified message from the frontline of the climate crisis: the age of fossil fuels must end, and the world must heed our call for a global, just, and equitable phase-out through a Fossil Fuel Treaty."
The declaration puts significant pressure on major developed nations, particularly Australia, President of Negotiations at the upcoming COP31, which continues to approve new coal and gas projects despite regional calls for a phase-out.
Hon. Dr. Maina Talia, Minister for Home Affairs, Environment and Climate Change, Tuvalu, said:
“For decades, the Pacific has led efforts to secure multilateral climate solutions. This declaration marks the beginning of the next chapter of our journey to a fossil free future - setting a clear direction for our unified coalition of countries who are ready to secure a fast, fair and financed transition away from coal, oil and gas production. Next week, we will join over 55 countries in Santa Marta, Colombia where we will aim to scale unprecedented levels of international cooperation and advance the proposal to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Treaty.”
Key Demands and Commitments in The Tassiriki Call:
- Fossil Fuel Treaty: Calls for the development and negotiation of a global mechanism for the rapid phase-out of all fossil fuels.
- 1.5 °C Non-Negotiable: Declares the 1.5 °C global heating threshold as non-negotiable, stating that the survival of Pacific peoples depends on maintaining this limit.
- International Law as a Weapon: Commits to strategically deploying the landmark advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed that a state’s failure to act on fossil fuel production and subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act.
- 100% Renewable Energy Roadmap: Emphasises the importance of implementing a fully-funded 100 per cent renewable energy strategy for the Pacific, calling for scaled-up, grant-based finance that does not increase the region’s debt burden.
- Cease Expansion Now: Calls on all nations to immediately cease fossil fuel exploration and expansion, end subsidies, and start the managed decline of existing production, with developed nations moving first and fastest.
- Just Transition Integrity: Expresses deep concern over technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and geoengineering being used to justify prolonged fossil fuel production, stating they "risk diverting finance, political attention and time away from proven pathways."
- Operationalising the Phase-Out: Agrees to formally establish an Inter-Governmental Taskforce for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific to carry forward these outcomes, focusing on legal pathways, governance, and financial mechanisms.