Leaders from the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu are catching up in Port Moresby — the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG) — ahead of the wider 16 nation Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit and retreat which include Australia and New Zealand later in the week.

Climate change is set to dominate the talks, leading up to the Paris climate change conference in December, with the smaller pacific nations taking a “do or die” approach to their bigger neighbors, Australia and New Zealand.

Local media reported Australia and New Zealand will get a ” dressing down” behind the scenes over their emissions reduction targets.

“Let us make our message in Paris a message we can be proud to take back to our people, one that we protect our environment and our cultural heritage,” Palau President Tommy Remengesau said in his opening address.

“Our countries may be perceived as small but we are in fact pioneers and trailblazers in restoring balance to our earth.”

Available at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-09/07/c_134598200.htm