Loss and damage are of critical importance for the Pacific, said Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), chief executive officer Lealaisalanoa Frances Reupena.

She made the comments at the Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025, happening in Apia.

The focus of the Dialogue is climate change-induced loss and damage, which have been a priority for the Pacific region during the past three decades.

This momentum revolves around understanding the concept, acquiring the finance required to address it, planning and implementing actions to deal with climate-induced loss and damage.

“Climate change is already causing profound impacts on our families, communities, and nations and these impacts are projected to persist, even under the most favourable emissions scenarios,” said Lealaisalanoa.

“Our rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and ways of life is under threat from the climate crisis. That’s why it is so vital that we come together today—to exchange knowledge, share success stories, and collectively shape the priorities and plans for safeguarding our future.”

Since the inaugural Pacific Loss and Damage Dialogue held in Apia in 2023, significant progress has been made globally and regionally.

“It has been a long journey spanning over three decades for Loss and Damage to evolve from a concept in 1991, to a series of milestone achievements,” said Lealaisalanoa.  

Amongst those achievements are the establishment and operationalisation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and the growth of the Santiago network for Loss and Damage (SNLD), which have created new opportunities for Pacific countries to access funding and technical support.  

At the national level, bottom-up insights gained through national dialogues in Niue, Tonga and the Cook Islands, along with lessons emerging from regional initiatives such as the MFAT New Zealand Loss and Damage Programme and the IKI Building our Loss and Damage (BOLD) Response Project, have strengthened the Pacific’s capacity to advance effective, locally driven solutions.

“Fighting for climate justice has never been easy—and the Pacific has been at the forefront of this fight, for many years,” added Lealaisalanoa.

To build on the momentum of the achievements highlighted, the Pacific Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025, hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with Climate Analytics, is bringing together Pacific governments, youth, civil society, academia, NGOs, the private sector and the media to collectively advance the region’s priorities on loss and damage.

SPREP’s Deputy Director General, Easter Chu Shing, said the Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue 2025 will not only build on the momentum it will also move beyond discussion towards action, with a strong focus on practical and locally relevant solutions.  

“Loss and damage action has long been and continues to be a priority of the Pacific SIDS,” she said.

“At the regional level, SPREP is currently implementing two regional projects to support our members, including the Loss and Damage Capacity and Capability project funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Building Our Loss and Damage Response funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through its International Climate Fund.  

“These projects will help our members in holding national dialogues to unpack and define loss and damage needs and priorities, support the establishment of an evidence base of loss and damage, development of case studies and communication products, as well as support for implementation of community pilot projects to trial national and community-based loss and damage responses.”

Ms Chu Shing also acknowledged the role of youth, with the first Regional Youth dialogue on Loss and Damage held in Samoa last week.

“We would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, for your unwavering support towards building loss and damage capacity and capability of Pacific countries and territories,” she added.