Fiji, Oct. 5 -- Fiji's Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya has called for Pacific voices to play a central role in shaping climate decisions ahead of COP31, as she opened the Pre-COP Stakeholder Programme, Vale ni Vanua: The Knowledge Exchange, in Denarau Monday.

Tabuya said climate decisions were only as strong as the voices that shaped them, stressing that participation should have a real influence on priorities, partnerships and decisions.

"Participation has value when it changes priorities, partnerships and decisions, not when people are consulted after the direction has already been set," she said.

She acknowledged that recent COP meetings had produced decisions and dialogues that had moved some issues forward...