(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
A once in a decade summit between over 100 small island nations is taking place in Samoa.
Over 3,000 delegates have been attending the United Nations 'Small Island Developing States Conference'.
The summit aims to find ways to help island countries deal with issues like climate change.
Angelo Risso has more.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
The sun-kissed shores of the Samoan capital of Apia have been home to the largest staged event in the Pacific island nation's history.
But the subject matter of the third United Nations Small Islands Developing States Conference is certainly not so uplifting.
Small island nation leaders have warned climate change is placing entire local cultures in jeopardy, from the Pacific micro-states to the Caribbean and East Africa.
A UN science panel recently warned a sea-level increase of just a metre could wipe up to 15 per cent of Pacific islands "off the map," forcing citizens to migrate.
This was directly on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's mind when he called on the world to help the island states combat the effect of climate change on their societies.
"We need to transform our unsustainable consumption and production practice and patterns, and our 'business as usual' mindset. The diverse coalition of small island nations we call 'SIDS' lives on the frontlines of climate change and sustainable development."
The so-called "Samoa Pathway," coming out of the conference, is a blueprint for sustainable development in island nations.
Addressing the summit, Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Brett Mason said economic growth and trade would be the most important drivers of this goal.
"And we want to see all small islands in the Pacific and beyond thrive and prosper and realise their full potential for the benefit of all their peoples. This will only happen if we promote sustainable economic growth."
But Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says climate change will ultimately affect us all.
"The big problems of our small islands will sooner rather than later impact every country, irrespective of level of development or prosperity."
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