Micronesian youth push sea-level rise onto global agenda
She said Pacific youth needed to be present in negotiation rooms to share their experiences and raise the concerns of communities affected by climate change.
Thursday 20 August 2026 | 18:00
lliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) representative Ann Albert during the Regional Conference of Youth at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva August 19.
Photo: Joseph Balolo
Young Pacific negotiators must have a stronger presence at international climate talks to ensure threats such as sea-level rise facing low-lying island communities are heard at the negotiating table.
Ann Albert, who represented the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) through its fellowship, made the call at a regional youth climate conference, saying the gathering was helping young people build the knowledge and skills needed to take their concerns from their communities to national, regional and international forums.
“We need more Pacific people in the rooms,” Ms Albert said.
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She said sea-level rise remained one of the major climate challenges facing the Federated States of Micronesia, particularly its low-lying islands.
Ms Albert said Pacific youth needed to be present in negotiation rooms to share their experiences and raise the concerns of communities affected by climate change.
She said the regional conference had strengthened youth capacity and improved their understanding of the climate negotiation process.
“It’s very helpful for both my country, the regional level, and the international level, for youth engagement and participation to understand the process,” she said.
Ms Albert said the knowledge gained would help young people understand how to participate in climate discussions and bring issues affecting their island communities to the negotiating table.
Ms Albert began working as a youth negotiator for her country at COP27 and said more Pacific voices were needed in international climate negotiations.
She said AOSIS continued to advocate for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius while maintaining a balance between adaptation and mitigation.
Ms Albert said the conference had provided young people with an opportunity to strengthen their understanding of climate processes and prepare to participate more meaningfully in future negotiations.
She said greater youth engagement would help ensure sea-level rise and other climate challenges facing Pacific islands were reflected in decisions at national, regional and international levels.
