United Nations Headquarters, New York – At the 2025 SDG Leaders Luncheon, convened on the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua, Speaker of Parliament for the Kingdom of Tonga and Vice Chairman of Global Resilience Partners, delivered a powerful call to action centered on the promise of the nature-based economy.
In his Co-Chair remarks, Lord Fakafanua underscored that for island nations like Tonga, nature is not an abstract concept but a living foundation for survival and prosperity. “The oceans, forests, and ecosystems that sustain our people are not abstract ideals — they are our inheritance, our economy, and our future,” he said, while stressing that this truth applies far beyond the Pacific. Every country, he noted, holds natural capital capable of fueling a more inclusive, secure, and sustainable era of growth.
Framing nature as humanity’s most valuable asset, Lord Fakafanua described the nature-based economy as a transformative pathway that can attract investment, create jobs, protect communities, and safeguard future generations.
“If we harness this wisely, we can transform the global economy, protect our planet, and ensure that prosperity is shared across generations,” he said.
Announcement of the 2026 Island Resilience Summit
Against this backdrop, Lord Fakafanua announced that the 2026 Island Resilience Summit will be held on April 21–22 in Dallas, Texas, during Earth Week at EarthX. Now entering its eighth edition, the Island Resilience Summit has been co-hosted by the Kingdom of Tonga for the past five years and continues to grow as a premier convening of world leaders, government officials, philanthropists, and private sector innovators.
The 2026 edition will also build on a unique tradition: connecting global leaders to the vibrant Tongan diaspora in Dallas, one of the largest outside the Pacific. By bringing together communities, leaders, and investors, the Summit will spotlight solutions that harness the power of nature to achieve resilience and prosperity for all.
A Collective Call
Closing his remarks, Lord Fakafanua urged leaders to commit to building the nature-based economy as the shared foundation of global progress.
“Let us commit, together, to making the nature-based economy the foundation of our collective future. In doing so, we honor the goals we set a decade ago, and we chart a course toward resilience and prosperity for all.”
The announcement generated significant momentum within the Luncheon, marking the upcoming Island Resilience Summit as a milestone moment in the global effort to scale solutions that protect the planet and unlock new pathways of sustainable growth.
Related Content: Lord Fakafanua Elected First Chairman of New Pacific Interparliamentary Assembly
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