Sitting on a remote island which is at risk of disappearing below rising oceans, Pacific leaders have made a unified call for stronger steps to address climate change.
But the region's two largest polluters are refusing to change their own commitments.
Leaders from the 15 Pacific Islands Forum member states, including Australia and New Zealand, met at a retreat on Eneko Island in the Marshall Islands on Thursday, where they discussed ways the world can rein in carbon emissions.
They released the Majuro Declaration - a joint statement committing to "action that contributes to the urgent reduction and phase-down of greenhouse gas pollution".
But rather than requiring supporters commit to targets, they are only "strongly encouraged" to reduce and phase down greenhouse gas pollution.
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Marshall Islands President Christopher Loeak told a press conference following the retreat that he believes Australia and New Zealand will be spurred to come up with more ambitious carbon reduction targets than their meagre existing pledges.
However, Australian minister Jacinta Collins and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key say they have no plans to change their countries' carbon goals, and they made no new commitments at the retreat.
Asked whether the declaration was as bold as small island leaders had originally promised, Mr Key called it "realistic".
Forum members will take the declaration to big emitters the US, China and India at the post-forum dialogue on Friday, before Mr Loeak presents it to the United Nations later this month.
Also high on the retreat agenda was suspended member Fiji, which is due to hold elections next September around the time of the next forum, in Palau.
Forum secretary-general Tuiloma Neroni Slade told media after Thursday's talks leaders will not revisit their decision to suspend Fiji until after it holds elections.
Mr Key says the forum will be "rewarding what we see as good behaviour" with reinstatement.
"The view of Australia and New Zealand, and increasingly others, was that there's a test here, it's sort of a bright line: hold free and fair elections and you're over the line."
The leaders also expressed abhorrence at the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons on its citizens, and called on the UN Security Council to hold it to account.
