Thank you very much, it’s an honour to follow my colleague from Fiji.
Rising seas are no longer a warning for the future. They are a lived reality for millions of people around the world, which is why we gather here today.
Because sea level rise is a challenge no nation can meet alone.
We share the oceans and we share responsibility for their futures.
And no region has done more to bring the world’s attention to this than the Pacific.
The Pacific has spoken with moral authority and the weight of lived experience to push global ambition forward.
Pacific leaders have shown the world that those on the frontline of climate change are not waiting to be spoken for.
They have led. They have organised. And they have challenged all of us to match the climate crisis with action.
So we must all answer their call to face the challenges of sea level rise, and preserve dignity, rights and future choices of those affected.
This includes states’ rights to maintain their maritime zones in the face of sea level rise.
In 2024, Tuvalu and Australia recognised, for the first time in a legally binding treaty, full sovereignty of Tuvalu’s territory irrespective of sea level rise.
This principle was confirmed by Pacific leaders.
And now this principle is in paragraph 20 of this new UN Declaration, which Australia was proud to co-lead with Cabo Verde.
Through this Declaration the international community has built a new framework for meeting sea level rise head on.
A framework that reinforces the crucial role of international law, including UNCLOS.
So our next steps must be to put this Declaration into action.
Australia remains committed to the Paris Agreement and is taking ambitious action to reduce emissions and transition to net zero by 2050.
And as COP 31 President of Negotiations, we seek to advance practical, scalable and investible ocean-climate action.
In partnership, we will deliver the Pre-COP in Fiji and Tuvalu, demonstrating firsthand the impacts of climate change and sea level rise alongside adaptation, resilience and climate leadership.
Because those most affected by climate change must help shape the response.
Strengthened cooperation on ocean stewardship and climate action is not only an environmental imperative.
It is an investment, an investment in peace and stability, and most importantly, in a more resilient future for all nations.
Thank you.