太平洋島嶼國家由於面臨海平面上升揮之不去的陰霾，該地區各國的元首和官員於8月6日通過一項氣候變遷宣言，堅決要求全球各國達到將溫度變暖限制在2個攝氏度或以下的協議。
參加在凱恩斯（Cairns）舉辦的太平洋島國論壇領導人會議（Pacific Leaders Forum）的官員表示，距離哥本哈根的聯合國氣候大會只剩下122天，「而國際社會不可能如期實現我們想達到的結果，除非所有締約國都能重新修訂一項強制命令。」
太平洋領導人宣言呼籲各國確實將全球排放量的高峰期限制在2020年前。同時，到2050年前將全球溫室氣體排放量減少至1990年的50%以下。這些都是8國集團(G8) 工業民主國在今年7月會議中所採用的基準。
今年論壇的輪值主席澳州總理陸克文（Kevin Rudd）在會中向各國政府領導人表示，「太平洋地區的國家特別容易受到氣候變遷的影響，而太平洋島嶼國卻是其中最沒有義務負起氣候變遷責任的國家。然而，這些地區將受害最深。因此，我們大家都必須共同採取行動來迎接這一挑戰。」
住在太平洋島國基里巴斯的一些村民，由於海平面上升已經被迫離開家園。官員發出警告，基於人類爭奪土地權的慣例，此類遷移行動預料將引發衝突。
為了能平息氣候變遷可能引發的衝突，在事件爆發之前，聯合國開發計劃署（UNDP）與該地區的其他組織合作，協助他們在太平洋地區建立一項新的計劃。
該計劃「調和氣候變遷、災害和太平洋地區潛在衝突」的行動旨在提升國家和區域防止及管理全球變暖所引發暴力衝突的能力。
UNDP亞洲及太平洋地區負責人曲博爾（Ajay Chhibber）警告說，有鑒於當前的金融風暴，全球變暖有可能扭轉「該地區得來不易的發展成果，而這將有損我們實現千年發展目標的能力，以及建設一個繁榮、和平和安全地區的計劃。」
「澳州外交部長史密斯（Stephen Smith）和氣候變遷事務與水資源部長黃英賢（Penny Wong）於8月7日宣布協助太平洋島嶼國家的撥款優先順序，以因應眼前氣候變遷所帶來的挑戰。」
With rising sea levels encircling Pacific Island nations, heads of state and government across the Pacific Thursday adopted a climate change declaration advocating a strong global agreement to limit warming to two degrees Celsius or less.
At the Pacific Leaders Forum in Cairns, the officials said that with just 122 days to go before the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen, "the international community is not on track to achieve the outcome we need unless we see a renewed mandate across all participating nations."
The Pacific Leaders' declaration calls on states to ensure that global emissions peak no later than 2020 and to reduce global emissions by at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. These are the benchmarks adopted by the G8 industrial democracies in July.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who takes the rotating chair of the Forum this year, told his fellow government leaders, "The nations of the Pacific are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and Pacific island nations are among the least responsible for the causes of climate change. But they will bear the brunt of its impact the most. We must all act together to meet this challenge."
Some villagers in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati [say Ki-ri-bas] already have been forced from their homes by rising sea levels, and officials warn that relocation could spark conflict due to traditional land rights.
In an effort to quell potential climate change-driven conflicts before they erupt, the UNDP is helping to set up a new program in the Pacific region in partnership with other organizations in the area.
The "Interface between Climate Change, Disasters and Potential for Conflict in the Pacific" initiative seeks to boost the ability of national and regional groups to prevent and manage violent conflicts triggered by global warming.
Ajay Chhibber, director of the Asia and the Pacific Regional Bureau of the UN Development Programme warned that during the current financial turmoil, global warming could potentially reverse "hard-won development gains in the region, which could compromise our collective ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and plans for a prosperous, peaceful and secure region."
The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith and the Minister for Climate Change and Water Penny Wong today announced funding priorities to assist Pacific Island countries to meet the immediate challenges of climate change.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
