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Bula COP31!
Bula COP31 is a podcast for anyone wanting to understand what it means for Australia and the Türkiye to co-host COP31 in 2026, and why this moment is influential in the UNFCCC process. Australia will be putting the Pacific Islands at the forefront of the climate negotiations to ensure adaptation and infrastructure investments flow to the region.
Your hosts are Heidi Dumesich and Jack Whelan.
Jack is a proud boomer who started his sustainability career long before it was considered ‘cool’. His experience spans the earliest COPs and reaches across business, industry, government, development agencies, NGOs, and the UN. He’s worked with the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development; and across Asia-Pacific with the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility, Asian Development Bank, and World Bank. Jack was nominated by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the design team that established the IRIS initiative, supporting climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure in Small Island Developing States — work that sits at the heart of Pacific climate priorities.
Heidi Dumesich is a millennial environmental scientist focused on implementing practical solutions. She’s the seasoned podcaster behind Life on Planet A, and currently a Sustainability Manager at Ventia, leading an Infrastructure Sustainability Council rating for a major road project. Heidi brings a fresh, grounded perspective on climate action and how sustainability plays out across communities and sectors.
Bula COP31 explores what really happens behind the scenes of a COP — with a special focus on how Pacific leadership, values, and voices shape the global climate agenda. Through candid conversations with stakeholders across Pacific governments, Australian agencies, industry, civil society, youth, and community groups, we unpack how climate diplomacy in our region is driven by relationships, resilience, and shared responsibility.
Whether you're a policymaker, business leader, activist, Pacific climate champion, or simply COP-curious, this podcast is your guide to getting the most out of COP31 — and understanding how it can deliver for the Blue Pacific Continent.
Tune in, get engaged, and say Bula COP31!
Bula COP31!
Episode 'K' for Kenta: Youth Voices from the Pacific
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In this episode, Bula COP31 has a special guest all the way from Vanuatu, Kenta Sayama, the Climate and Environment specialist in UNICEF Vanuatu.
Kenta shares his inspiring personal journey from Japan to the Pacific, revealing how international experiences in Brazil, the UK, and Japan have shaped his innovative approach to climate advocacy. He dives into the unique challenges small island nations face — from rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion to the cultural and mental health impacts of climate change — and explains how new financial mechanisms like the Loss and Damage Fund and Green Climate Fund are opening doors for vulnerable countries. You'll learn about real projects like Vanuatu’s Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP) and the Pacific Resilience Facility, which are helping communities build real resilience against climate impacts.
We break down the most effective strategies for youth engagement, from grassroots networks like Vanuatu Climate Action Network (VCAN) and Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) to navigating the daunting logistics of remote island participation. Kenta emphasizes the importance of cultural understanding, contextual solutions, and ensuring youth voices lead climate negotiations, not just attend as token figures. He highlights the historic influence of Vanuatu's Pacific youth in global judicial actions like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate justice — a groundbreaking moment in international law that affirms our collective responsibility to act.
Why does this matter? Because the future of climate resilience hinges on local-level action, global solidarity, and inclusive leadership. Missing out on this vital insight risks perpetuating a cycle where small island voices are drowned out, and effective climate solutions remain out of reach. This episode is an essential listen for policymakers, activists, young leaders, and anyone invested in climate justice — because real change starts by amplifying the voices that are most at risk.
Prepare to be inspired, informed, and motivated to make a difference. Whether you’re a Pacific youth seeking guidance, a global citizen passionate about climate justice, or a supporter of empowering local action, this conversation reveals the bold steps needed to turn hope into tangible impact.
Tune in now — your role in shaping a resilient Pacific starts here.
Links and resources:
- Get involved with PICAN and VCAN
- UNICEF - Australia Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue
- Background information on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate justice
- Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP)
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