Young climate activists from the Pacific say the Pacific flavour at climate talks in Germany is empowering them to talk to the leaders of polluting countries and hold them to account.
Pacific island climate change campaigners hold a traditional Fijian sevusevu and offer tapa to a community impacted by a massive coal mine in Germany. Photo: Facebook
The COP23 conference opened this week in Bonn with Fiji presiding and Fijian traditions and culture on display.
Governments, business and civil society are attending the conference which is aimed at building on the Paris Agreement and limiting global temperature rise.
Matisse Walkden-Brown from Fiji is part of a group called Pacific Island Represent who's asking questions on behalf of Pacific people.
She said the Pacific flavour was having an impact but not because Pacific islanders are victims of climate change.
"I think the impact's going to come from us. It's going to come from us feeling more comfortable in these spaces. It'll come from being comfortable to tell the story, to talk about the impacts and to remind people of our priorities and why we're here so the way that this space is set up, it's not to celebrate our victimhood."
Listen to Matisse Walkden-Brown on Dateline Pacific
Visitors use an escalator past a poster featuring the Fiji Islands on the opening day of the COP 23 United Nations Climate Change Conference on November 6, 2017 in Bonn, Germany. Photo: AFP/Oliver Berg