Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) ministers and senior officials are due to meet in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from April 13–15 for the third Pacific Ministerial Dialogue on the Global Just Transition, as several island nations face fuel supply disruptions linked to the Iran war.
The Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative said Fiji has increased petrol prices by 20%, Tuvalu has sent government workers home, and the Marshall Islands has declared a 90-day economic emergency, arguing the developments underscore the region’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.
The Port Vila meeting, referred to as “Port Vila II”, is intended to consolidate a unified Pacific position ahead of the First International Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels, to be held later this month in Santa Marta, Colombia. The group said the dialogue will also consider establishing a PSIDS inter-governmental taskforce to lead regional engagement during the next phase of negotiations and to build support for a proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty.
The initiative linked the current engagement to a March 2023 meeting in Port Vila, held after two Category 4 cyclones struck Vanuatu in the same week. It said PSIDS used that earlier gathering to articulate a collective vision for a “Fossil Fuel-Free Pacific” and to advocate internationally for a managed phase-out of fossil fuels.
Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, said: “The Pacific did not create the fossil fuel crisis, yet we are paying the highest price for it. Our communities are on the frontlines of sea level rise, intensifying cyclones, and the slow erasure of the only homes we have ever known. Port Vila II is about ensuring our voice doesn’t just get heard at Santa Marta—it must shape what happens there. It serves as a powerful reminder of what we have achieved and what we can achieve when we stand up for the survival of our people.”
The statement also pointed to Australia’s role in regional climate diplomacy, arguing that as a major fossil fuel exporter and “near neighbour” to the Pacific, it faces scrutiny over approving new coal and gas projects while Pacific governments push for an international framework to phase out fossil fuels.
Joseph Sikulu, described as a Pacific Champion for the Fossil Fuel Treaty, said: “For Pacific Islands, leading on Climate has never been a choice; it has been a matter of survival for us. We are constantly at the forefront pushing for ambition and testing the limits of multilateralism. We were the first to call for a fossil fuel treaty, knowing we need to try everything we can to bring about the transformation we need. Our hope is that we are joined by partners who are ready to take accountability for their actions and help us accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. The Santa Marta Conference is an opportunity for Australia, our big brother nation in the Pacific, to show up for the future of the region and to show us they are ready to lead on climate alongside us.”
With Australia set to be president of negotiations at COP31 in 2026, the initiative said the Santa Marta conference will be a test of regional cooperation on energy transition and climate commitments.
Dr. Tzeporah Berman, founder and chair of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, said: “Pacific Island Nations were the first countries to call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. Even before the current supply constraints and high price of oil due to the war in Iran these countries have understood the threat dependence on fossil fuels poses to their security and to global climate stability. The current conflict has proven that even more so It is an honour for us to support their leadership as they prepare for the first diplomatic conference on fossil fuel phase out in Santa Marta where they and other countries participating in the development of the Fossil Fuel Treaty will be a crucial voice for international cooperation, high ambition and fair timelines and financial mechanisms to support a fair phase out.”
