Lavenia Naivalu, a 44-year-old climate activist from Fiji's Yasawa islands, is preparing to amplify Pacific voices at this year's pre-Cop summit in Fiji, according to reporting by Guardian Asia.
Naivalu has witnessed the climate crisis reshape her remote community. Coral reefs that once sustained her grandfather's fishing expeditions have deteriorated. "The reefs that the older generation of men spearfished in, no longer provide what they once did," Naivalu says. "Young people ... now must travel further out to sea to find fish for their families."
The deterioration of local fisheries reflects broader environmental pressures affecting the Pacific region. Naivalu's determination to speak at the pre-Cop summit reflects Pacific island nations' push to secure commitments on climate action ahead of formal UN negotiations.