Pre-COP31 agenda signals major shifts for Australian ports

AN AGENDA for Pre-COP31 has been announced with a program emphasising coastal and port resilience, sea level rise, energy security and shipping’s transition to a decarbonised world.

The Stakeholder Program, released ahead of COP31 and hosted in Fiji from 5–8 October, sets out a sweeping climate agenda that places oceans, transport, and Pacific resilience at the centre of global negotiations.

While the program is broad, several sessions have direct implications for Australia’s ports and shipping sector, particularly around fuel transition, climate-risk governance, and the emerging expectations for maritime emissions reporting.

The agenda includes sessions on Sustainable Ocean Plans, Pacific Blue NDCs, electrification, climate justice, and carbon market development, all of which intersect with maritime supply chains.

According to Jesse Fahnestock, director of decarbonisation at the Global Maritime Forum, shipping has an increasingly important place in the global climate conversation because it sits at the intersection of several major priorities emerging from the COP process.

"Shipping is responsible for around 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making maritime decarbonisation an important part of the broader climate challenge," Mr Fahnestock said.

Beyond emissions reduction, shipping is closely linked to key COP31 themes including clean energy, climate finance and ocean-climate action. The sector's transition depends not only on cleaner vessels, but also on the development of green fuel production, port infrastructure and supporting supply chains capable of supporting alternative fuels at scale.

The industry's role is particularly significant in the Asia-Pacific region, where maritime transport will be critical in connecting emerging clean energy industries with international markets.

While the shipping sector's formal regulatory framework is largely developed through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr Fahnestock said COP remains an important forum for aligning governments, industry, energy producers and financiers around the broader conditions needed to accelerate decarbonisation.

Of particular relevance to maritime stakeholders is the emphasis emerging from Pre-COP on implementation, climate finance, Pacific partnerships and accelerating climate action. Mr Fahnestock said the growing focus on Pacific leadership and ocean-climate action reflected the region's long-standing advocacy on maritime and climate issues, while recognising both its vulnerability to climate change and its ability to help shape practical solutions.

The Global Maritime Forum hopes the COP31 process will deliver tangible outcomes for the sector, including progress on green shipping corridors, expanded clean fuel production, port infrastructure investment and stronger regional partnerships across Australia, the Pacific and Asia.

The organisation is also seeking greater focus on how climate finance can support investable maritime decarbonisation projects and bridge the gap between climate ambition and real-world deployment, while ensuring Pacific perspectives remain central to discussions around energy transition and ocean-climate action.

"COP31 presents a key opportunity to highlight shipping's role in supporting the clean energy trade, economic development, and resilient supply chains," Mr Fahnestock said.

"Together with its partners, Australia has a chance to be a leader, both in the region and globally, in creating the tangible pathways for implementation, investment and regional cooperation that will accelerate the maritime energy transition."