A Pacific-run climate fund has passed the halfway point on its way to $500 million — and the region's leaders are asking the rest of the world to chip in the rest.
At COP31 in Antalya, Palau's President Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr told more than 100 world leaders that the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) had crossed the $200 million mark. Notably, $100 million of that was raised by Pacific countries themselves — a point he drove home hard. "We should not have to pay for our own survival," he said, "but we act without hesitation." International partners have matched that $100 million so far, leaving $300 million to find. Tonga's Prime Minister had been hoping Türkiye would announce a contribution at the summit; fundraising continues beyond COP31.
What makes the PRF different is who controls it. It is Pacific-owned and Pacific-designed, channelling money straight to vulnerable communities so they can pick and run their own projects rather than waiting for outside agencies. Tonga's PM, Fatafehi Kinikinilau Lolomana'ia Fakafānua, called it a key expression of Pacific leadership on climate.
And it is already delivering. Just five months after its treaty entered into force, the facility is backing 14 community projects across nine Pacific Islands Forum member countries, reaching more than 5,000 people. In the Solomon Islands, PRF money helped build 10 new sanitation facilities and upgrade 20 more. In Tuvalu, a women-led project called 'Water is Life' is installing rainwater tanks at the Women's Multipurpose Centre in Funafuti, improving water security for families on the capital atoll. Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo put an economic figure on the logic: every $1 spent on preparedness can prevent $4 to $13 in future damage.
Philanthropy is starting to follow. The Minderoo Foundation, led by Australian mining billionaire Dr Andrew Forrest, gave $5 million at a PRF side event and pledged to help recruit other donors.
Why should travellers care? Because these are the places many of us love to visit — and they are on the front line. Rising seas, drought, saltwater intrusion and stronger storms are everyday realities for communities in Tuvalu, Palau, Tonga and across the Blue Pacific. A fund that gets money directly to village-level projects means tourist dollars flow into destinations with functioning water, sanitation and food systems — and means the islands hosting your next dive trip or beach holiday have a fighting chance of staying liveable. The PRF is also a rare story of the region deciding its own priorities rather than receiving top-down aid, which matters for anyone who wants their travel spending to support self-determined communities rather than dependency. Expect more mentions of the facility as leaders keep fundraising through the year.
Story via Islands Business.
