Celebrating and supporting country-led and OPD-informed approaches while generating practical evidence on what disability-inclusive climate action and finance look like in implementation, the side event will explore how catalytic investment, technical assistance, evidence and institutional partnerships work together to strengthen disability-inclusive climate solutions. The event will also build momentum for the Disability-Inclusive Climate Champions Network, bringing engineers, scientists, innovators, community leaders, policymakers and funders together to build partnerships, accelerate innovation and shape future investment. Climate change is intensifying threats to lives, livelihoods, health, food and water security, infrastructure and essential services. Persons with disabilities are diverse and in different ways are often disproportionately affected because climate information, early warning systems, evacuation arrangements, infrastructure, services, social protection and financing mechanisms remain inaccessible or insufficiently inclusive. Yet persons with disabilities and their representative organisations are resilient and visionary, yet remain underrepresented in climate policy, programme design, implementation and financing. The Pacific is on the front line of climate change and is generating locally grounded solutions with global relevance. Governments, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and communities are advancing inclusive approaches to preparedness, early warning, resilient services and adaptation, including opportunities to implement the refreshed Pacific Framework on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PFRPD). With support from the Australian Government through DFAT, UN GDF is launching its first Pacific cohort of disability-inclusive climate action programmes. The cohort will strengthen OPD leadership, embed inclusion within national systems, test locally led solutions, build institutional capacity and address barriers to climate finance. This dialogue is not a stand-alone event. The session will continue engagement and momentum for the Disability-Inclusive Climate Champions Network. COP31 provides an opportunity to strengthen a shift from vulnerability to leadership, consultation to meaningful inclusion, and fragmented initiatives to sustained and scalable strategic investments for innovating finance for disability-inclusive climate action. The event will connect Pacific experience and emerging programme learning through a clear progression: LEARNING, SOLUTIONS, INVESTMENT, PARTNERSHIP.

Venue

Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion

Speakers

GCF, Country Representatives, Technical Partners