Following the successful 7^th Pacific Urban Forum in March this year, the official PUF7 Summary Report is now available, charting a clear roadmap for sustainable, climate-resilient urban development across the Blue Pacific.

Building on the momentum of the opening discussions, the forum concluded with a strong collective message: Pacific cities and towns are on the frontline of climate change and rapid urbanisation, and immediate action is required to translate regional commitments into tangible local delivery.

Key outcomes: The Port Moresby Urban Action Agenda

The synthesised outcomes of PUF7 reinforce the urgent need to elevate urban issues to the highest levels of regional policy. Key action priorities highlighted in the report include:

• Elevating the regional urban agenda: Embedding sustainable urbanisation directly into national policies and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent through the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
• Climate resilient infrastructure and housing: Integrating climate adaptation into urban spatial planning, strengthening land governance, and transforming informal settlements into serviced, liveable communities.
• Unlocking urban and climate finance: Creating direct, flexible and accessible financing pathways tailored for local governments and small island contexts to build bankable resilience projects.

Read the full report of the Forum here.

Read the PUF7 Declaration here.

Empowering Local Leaders and Community Action

Throughout PUF7, CLGF actively championed the role of local government as the primary engine for sustainable urbanisation:

• Pacific mayors call for stronger multi-level governance: Facilitated by CLGF Secretary-General Ms Lucy Slack, the Mayor’s Multi-Level Governance Forum brought together local leaders from across Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, PNG, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Fiji. Leaders issued a clear call for direct development and climate finance, alongside better coordination between national, provincial, and local authorities to address pressing pressures on infrastructure and basic services.
• Advancing the Commonwealth Declaration: A dedicated session co-led by CLGF and the Government of Fiji highlighted practical pathways to operationalise the Commonwealth Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation. Discussions focused on building robust regional coalitions, improving local revenue systems, and institutionalising sustainable planning frameworks across Pacific councils.
• Grounding resilience in local realities - The Kiribati project: Demonstrating action on the ground, CLGF, alongside ICLEI Oceania and the Kiribati Local Government Association (KILGA), shared key outcomes from their three-year climate adaptation project in South Tarawa. The initiative, funded by the German Government’s Climate Initiative, highlighted how community-led solutions and effective local governance - ranging from biochar soil improvements to local waste stream utilisation, can successfully build food security and ecological resilience in vulnerable atoll communities.

As the region shifts from dialogue to implementation, CLGF Pacific remains committed to supporting countries in the region in taking forward the outcomes of PUF7. The priorities captured in Port Moresby will serve as a joint voice of the Pacific leading into upcoming global and regional milestones.