At the global climate summit COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, young leaders from Kiribati and across the Pacific took center stage—raising their voices with clarity, courage, and conviction. Representing some of the most climate-vulnerable nations on Earth, these youth are no longer asking for action—they are demanding it.
With rising seas, intensifying droughts, and extreme weather already impacting their island homes, these young climate advocates are sounding the alarm on a crisis that is not looming in the future, but unfolding in real time. Among them is Maximillian Max Teea, a youth representative of Kiribati and the Kiribati Climate Action Network (KiriCAN), who delivered a powerful plea to global leaders:
“Kiribati is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, facing rising sea levels and droughts threatening our very existence. This crisis demands urgent action.”
Max’s words echoed across COP29, reminding the world that the climate emergency is not abstract for the Pacific—it is personal. For atoll nations like Kiribati, climate change is already eroding coastlines, displacing families, and endangering food and water security.
Through the support of KiriCAN, young Pacific leaders like Max are stepping into vital spaces—leading side events, influencing negotiations, and pushing for stronger commitments on climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and resilience-building. Their engagement reflects a shift in the climate dialogue: one that centers the lived realities of frontline communities and empowers youth as critical stakeholders.
“We believe youth are not just future leaders—they are leaders now,” Max affirmed.
KiriCAN proudly champions the voices of Pacific youth, ensuring they are heard, respected, and represented at the highest levels. Their activism at COP29 is more than advocacy—it is a call to justice, a fight for survival, and a vision for a just, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Together, we stand with Pacific youth as they rise for climate justice—at COP29 and beyond.