126 Pacific Children Share Climate Fears and Hopes

The voices of 126 children from Fiji, Tuvalu and Australia have been brought together in a new publication sharing their fears, hopes and calls for action on climate change.

Voices of the Pacific Children: Letters Across the Blue Pacific, Volume 1 was launched during the Pre-COP31 Community Event at the University of Fiji’s Saweni Campus in Lautoka.

Among the contributions is a powerful question from Meliani of Nauti Primary School in Tuvalu: “Will Tuvalu be here when I grow up?”

In Fiji, Ashvin Chand of Narere Primary School writes, “My voice matters. My future matters,” while Lakei of Deenbandhoo Memorial School calls on people to change their ways and give the Earth “some better days.”

The publication brings together letters, drawings, poetry, posters and stories, giving children an opportunity to express how they see climate change and what it could mean for their future.

The initiative was developed by the Asia Pacific Regulatory Centre (APRC) in collaboration with ESG Pacific and was officially launched by Pacific Islands Development Forum Secretary General Arpana Pratap.

APRC Executive Director Joel Abraham said children were already witnessing the impacts of climate change and deserved to be part of the wider conversation.

“Children are not simply the leaders of tomorrow; they are witnesses to what is happening today. Their words deserve to sit beside the science and policy in serious climate conversations,” Abraham said.

He said despite their concerns, many of the children continued to express hope, imagination and love for their homes.

The publication features students from Maharishi Primary School, Deenbandhoo Memorial School and Narere Primary School in Fiji, Nauti Primary School in Tuvalu and Marsden Park Anglican College in Australia.

Their contributions range from concerns about whether Pacific island homes will remain habitable to calls for greater environmental responsibility.

At its heart, the initiative gives children the opportunity to speak for themselves on an issue that could shape much of their future.