FIJI, Oct. 8 -- The Pacific's newly operational regional climate fund is still US$320 million short of the minimum capitalisation it needs, with Pacific leaders urging international partners to turn pledges into actual funding before COP31.Climate Fund.

The Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) has a minimum capitalisation target of US$500 million, Tonga's Prime Minister Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua said at a pre-COP31 Turning Climate Finance into Community Resilience session in Nadi, Fiji.

The facility is designed to channel climate finance to smaller, community-led projects in Pacific countries, where larger international funds can struggle to meet local needs.

Fakafanua said the PRF had taken years to establish and had faced doubts over whet...