Clean Shipping Pact: Seven Pacific transport ministers, including Kiribati, signed the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership in Majuro to coordinate a fair shift away from fossil-fuel shipping—backed by plans for low-carbon vessels, climate-resilient ports, and trained workers. Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly endorsed a landmark International Court of Justice climate advisory opinion, strengthening the push for legal responsibility and reparations for climate harm—an issue driven by small island states. Coral Survival Watch: Scientists are searching for “super reefs” as record marine heat waves drive the worst global coral bleaching on record, with many reefs already struggling to recover. Sea-Level Rise & Statehood: Tuvalu is shaping international norms on sea-level rise, arguing that rising seas can’t erase sovereignty—an urgent debate for Kiribati’s future too. Maritime Security: The US Coast Guard launched Operation Blue Pacific to deter illegal fishing, drugs, and people smuggling across Oceania, including patrols to Kiribati, while saying it will collaborate with partners. Deep-Seabed Minerals: New seabed mining talks and regional governance efforts highlight how seabed resources are becoming tied to major-power competition, with Kiribati in the wider picture.