Pacific countries have warned they cannot withstand the escalating threat of climate change without urgent international support and resilient infrastructure.

At the Pacific Infrastructure Conference in Brisbane, Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister Albert Nicholas said countries on the frontline need resources and tools to secure their future but ambitions for development far outpace national budgets.

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr said climate-resilient projects must take priority across the region but Pacific economies cannot shoulder more debt after the pandemic.

He urged development partners to step in, saying only strong partnerships would allow the region to strengthen connectivity, safeguard security and transform its economies.

Australia has pledged nearly $2 billion across 11 countries through its Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, alongside a $350 million climate infrastructure partnership.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy told delegates that resilient and quality infrastructure is central to combating climate change, which leaders have declared the greatest threat to their people’s security.

Whipps welcomed Australia’s confirmation of direct flights from Brisbane to Palau until 2026 to support tourism, but stressed infrastructure must deliver long-term resilience.

He said projects that create jobs, enable trade and build security lift the entire Blue Pacific, not just individual countries.

Nicholas added that a one-size-fits-all development model does not work for small nations and called for approaches tailored to Pacific realities.

The two-day Brisbane conference drew more than 500 delegates and outlined the region’s urgent demand for global partnerships as rising seas and extreme weather intensify pressure on some of the world’s most vulnerable states.

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