by Charley Piringi
in Honolulu
Pacific leaders redefined security, placing climate change as a critical security threat at the centre of regional stability and survival.
In remarks delivered at a regional summit in Honolulu, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, said security in the Pacific can no longer be viewed solely through a military lens.
“Security in the Pacific is comprehensive,” he said, pointing to climate change, economic vulnerability, illegal fishing, transnational crime and disaster resilience as interconnected threats.
“For the Pacific Islands, climate change remains the greatest and critical security threat impacting our livelihoods, communities and economic prosperity,” Manele added.
Across the region, rising seas are swallowing coastlines, contaminating freshwater sources and forcing communities to consider relocation.
Intensifying cyclones and extreme weather events are damaging roads, schools and hospitals infrastructure that small island economies struggle to rebuild.
“A flooded school or damaged hospital is not only a humanitarian issue, but a strategic one,” he said.
He added climate impacts drain national budgets and reverse development gains.
Pacific leaders are now calling for security cooperation that prioritises disaster preparedness, climate resilience and protection of critical infrastructure.
They are also seeking stronger maritime surveillance to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, a growing concern as climate stress increases pressure on ocean resources.
Manele told the summit that security arrangements must respect sovereignty and reinforce regional unity, consistent with the Forum Leaders’ Ocean of Peace Declaration.
For Pacific nations, climate resilience is no longer just an environmental concern, it is the foundation of national security and long-term survival.
