NEW Zealand’s prime minister has flagged he’ll rebuff a push by Pacific island nations to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees, which would require more efforts to cut carbon emissions.

Such images have often led to Pacific islands being characterised as passive and helpless victims of climate change with no other choice but to flee from rising sea levels.

Kiribati’s President Anote Tong would have liked more to have come out of climate change talks at the Pacific Islands Forum.

Pacific Island leaders had remained steadfast on the need for action, refusing to let go of key demands ahead of the Paris climate negotiations, including for a goal to limit the global temperature rise to below 1.5C.

All of the governments made it clear that they do not regard the PIDF as an alternative or rival to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) – a grouping of 14 Pacific islands with Australia and New Zealand.

“New Zealand is a Pacific nation and we are committed to working with our closest neighbours to develop their economies and build a prosperous and stable region”, Mr Key says.

Tong said that Abbott should visit Kiribati, a nation of 102,000 people living on 33 mostly pancake-flat coral atolls, to witness the potential damage that climate change will cause.

This threatens the very existence of low-lying island states, some of which are seeking to show leadership despite their negligible contribution to global emissions.

“Australia and New Zealand must substantially increase their current emissions reduction targets”, says Oxfam Australia’s chief executive, Dr Helen Szoke, who will attend a three-day meeting of non-government organisations in Port Moresby before the leaders’ summit.

Australian Greens joined in the attacks on the country’s prime minister.

The leaders of the six smallest members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) said they were among the hardest hit by climate change, and a binding agreement at the so-called COP21 talks in December was crucial.

“We’re not totally disagreeing – we have a position we’ll advance in Paris at the end of this year”, Tong said.

He said millions of his own people were suffering from what could be PNG’s worst drought in 20 years and a looming food crisis, because of an El Nino weather system which was exacerbated by climate change.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is due to arrive in Port Moresby later on Wednesday night.

Sarah Nededog, Pacific Islands Association of Nongovernmental Organizations board member, was Guam’s sole representative, in a group of nation leaders, nongovernmental organizations, and the business sector.

Forum Chair Peter O’Neill said the leaders respect Indonesia’s sovereignty over the province, but are calling for human rights there to be upheld.

Fenton Lutunatabua spokesperson for 530°.org Pacific from Fiji reported the protesters entered Carrington Coal Terminal which is part of the world’s biggest coal exporting port.