Papua New Guinea wants Australia to be the voice of the Pacific Islands at the United Nations climate change summit, urging its larger neighbour to play a leading role on its behalf.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and other Pacific leaders - who are already seeing the effects of climate change - are preparing to loudly call out their concerns on global action at the Paris conference in December.
But as the largest economy in the region, Australia must also lend its voice to the position of the Pacific Islands, Mr O'Neill believes.
"(Climate change) is a huge challenge for Pacific Island nations," he said in Port Moresby on Monday.
"We are hoping that Australia will take a leadership role in stating our position to the global community."
Mr O'Neill implored the international community to recognise the threat climate change posed to island communities through a loss and damage financial package.
"I think Pacific Islanders are not really looking for a financial reward," he said.
"We are looking to make sure the international community can assist in the resettlement exercise and rebuilding some of the communities."
Pacific island nations are expected to be the front line of climate change, with several low-lying countries already experiencing flooding, inundation and salty ground water.
At the Pacific Islands Forum in September they pushed for a goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, instead of the international aim of 2 degrees.
Australia and New Zealand refused to back the lower goal but agreed to let the islands take their position separately to Paris.
Kiribati President Anote Tong has also called for a moratorium on new coal mines - and idea ruled out by the Australian government - and backed by PNG.
Several Pacific Island nations have been vocally critical of what they believe is the Australian government's lack of ambition to slash carbon emissions with a 2030 target of 26-28 per cent reduction on 2005 levels.
It's a criticism conflated by a recent gaffe by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, when he joked about water lapping at the doors of Pacific Island residents.
But PNG isn't prepared to join the attack on Australia's stance on climate change, at least until after Paris.
"We're in constructive dialogue, let's put it that way," Mr O'Neill said.
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