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Concept

This forum will bring together scientists, science-to-policy advocates, Indigenous leaders, development actors and youth representatives to explore how scientific knowledge, traditional knowledge and international collaboration can support climate resilience, ocean stewardship and sustainable futures across the Pacific in the lead-up to COP31.

It builds on the outcomes of the FAR Southern Connections: Antarctica and the Pacific – Navigating from Heritage to Climate Resilience, held in March 2026 in Hobart, and positions its insights within a Pacific-first agenda. The FAR highlighted several key elements that underpin this initiative:

• the critical role of the Southern Ocean in regulating global and Pacific climate systems, notably through ocean circulation and heat and carbon absorption;

• the importance of strengthening Antarctic–Pacific scientific cooperation and observation systems to better anticipate climate impacts;