Bula!: Uniting Church and Uniting prepare for Pre-COP in Fiji
The Moderator of the Uniting Church in NSW and ACT will join members of the Uniting NSW.ACT Advocacy team in Fiji for Pre-COP31 in October, as the Church continues its engagement with climate justice and the Pacific.
The Moderator of the Uniting Church in NSW and ACT will join members of the Uniting NSW.ACT Advocacy team in Fiji for Pre-COP31 in October, as the Church continues its engagement with climate justice and the Pacific.
The visit is part of a broader program of engagement leading into COP31, the United Nations climate change conference to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, later this year.
Pre-COP is a ministerial meeting held ahead of the formal COP negotiations. It provides an opportunity for governments and other key participants to build relationships, identify areas of agreement and work through issues that will come before the full negotiations.
At Pre-COP, there will be important discussions about how to keep the goal of 1.5 degrees in reach, how to unlock more finance to flow to countries and communities that need support to adapt to climate change and shift to clean, renewable energy, and uplifting Pacific voices.
This year’s Pre-COP will be jointly hosted by Fiji, Tuvalu and Australia.
Holding the meeting in the Pacific is significant for a region already experiencing profound impacts from climate change, including on communities, economies, food security and livelihoods, as well as the future of some low-lying island nations.
The delegation’s participation reflects its focus on ensuring Pacific voices are heard in climate policy and international negotiations.
The visit follows years of advocacy involving people across the Church and Uniting, including roundtables and discussions with Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Pasifika leaders, climate advocates and other stakeholders.
A key focus has been creating opportunities for Pacific leaders and communities to speak directly about the impacts of climate change and the priorities they want governments to consider.
In October 2025, the Uniting Church and Uniting NSW.ACT hosted a Climate Talanoa at Blacktown Uniting Church, bringing together Pacific Climate Ministers, Minister Bowen and members of the Pasifika community.
Talanoa is a Pacific approach to dialogue that emphasises respectful conversation, storytelling and shared understanding. The event created space for climate issues to be discussed through the experiences of Pacific communities alongside government policy.
Other advocacy and climate focused initiatives over the years have included student climate rallies, prayer chains, organisational green initiatives like the adoption of electrical vehicle fleets, and solar panel grants for congregations.
The Synod’s current climate advocacy builds on commitments made over many years. In 2019, the Synod resolved to develop a Climate Action Strategy, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the Church and advocating to governments for stronger action on climate change.
The Uniting Climate Action Network now brings together people across the NSW.ACT Uniting Church community to support climate justice and action for the renewal of creation.
The Church’s international engagement has also grown. A Uniting Church and Uniting delegation attended COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2024, advocating on climate justice, specifically in the areas of climate finance and amplifying Pacific and First Nations voices. Work towards COP31 has continued since then, including advocacy for Australia and the Pacific to have a strong voice in the international negotiations.
Following Pre-COP in Fiji, members of the delegation which includes the Moderator, and Uniting NSW.ACT’s Head of Media and Advocacy, Alice Salomon, and Social Justice Lead, Thuy Nguyen, will travel to Türkiye.
As the Church prepares to take part in these critical internation fora, it does so with the work of many people behind it, including those who have organised and attended roundtables, built relationships with political and community leaders, developed policy and strategy, attended rallies, supported young people, hosted events and prayed for climate justice.
Much of this work has taken place away from the public spotlight and will never be visible at Pre-COP or COP31. But it has helped build the relationships and advocacy that will carry the Church into the next stage of its engagement in the Pacific and on the international stage.
The work is rooted in the Uniting Church’s unwavering commitment to honouring and caring for God’s creation and seeking justice for those most aversely impacted by climate change.
