World leaders have been urged to extend a lifeline to Pacific nations under threat from rising sea levels and extreme weather at the COP31 summit in Türkiye.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued the call to action on Wednesday at the opening of the two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit segment of the United Nations event.
Australia will lead negotiations at the annual climate talks and Albanese said it would use the opportunity to highlight the plight of its regional neighbours.
"We sought this role because we wanted to speak for the people of the world who need urgent action, including those from our Pacific family," he said.
He also called for nations to support the Pacific Resilience Facility, launched in 2025, designed to raise $US500 million ($726 million) for climate change and adaptation projects.
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"I plead with you to join our campaign to help the nations of the Pacific to confront a climate challenge that they certainly did not create," he said.
However, climate activists and politicians have criticised Albanese for failing to mention fossil fuels by name during his speech.
Independent senator David Pocock said that while Australia has some "good stories" to tell when it comes to adopting renewable energy, more work is needed to reduce Australia's involvement in fossil fuel projects.
"The fact that the prime minister not once mentioned fossil fuels, I think shows you how captured the major parties are by the fossil fuel industry," Pocock told SBS News.
"They want to be able to talk about the good stuff we’re doing, but not the fact that the Albanese government has approved 38 fossil fuel projects, new projects or extensions since they came into office, and that is not compatible with a livable Pacific, let alone what’s happening here in Australia."
Pocock said Australia needs to "get real" about weaning itself off of its dependency on fossil fuels.
"This is a huge issue. It’s here now. It’s only getting worse, unless we see countries like Australia ... the third biggest fossil fuel exporter of the world, come up with a very serious plan going forward around not approving more fossil fuel projects and a planned phase out."
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, whose Pacific nation is threatened by rising sea levels, said, "Every new oil well drilled, every new piece of coal extracted is a threat to my country's future."
"The discovery of new fossil fuel resources is not something to celebrate, but something to fear," she said.
Outgoing United Nations secretary-general António Guterres also addressed attendees, calling for urgent action to address climate change including phasing out fossil fuels.
His call came months after the UN warned the world was on track to surpass 1.5C of warming within a few years and should act to limit the severity and duration of the overshoot.
"Our first climate duty is to tell the truth and the brutal truth is that the climate crisis is outrunning us," he said.
"The last four years were the hottest ever and fossil fuel interests keep making a killing while killing our planet. This is the path of mutually assured destruction."
Greater investments in renewable energy including solar power could help nations move away from coal, oil and gas, Guterres said.
"Fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs but that will not happen on its own.
"It's time to kick the habit and end the fossil-fuel addiction."
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
