Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Low-lying nations appeal for help over climate change

Updated at 2:09 pm on 7 November 2009

Low-lying Pacific and Indian Ocean nations have put out a desperate call for help ahead of the United Nations' climate change talks in Copenhangen.

The islands, already threatened by rising seas, are meeting in the Maldives this weekend to try to negotiate an agreement for a new climate deal, the ABC reports.

Kiribati President Anote Tong is leading the call for developed countries to help finance poorer nations to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Mr Tong says communities have already been resettled and crops destroyed due to rising sea levels and a new climate treaty must be delivered at Copenhagen in December if countries such as his are to be saved.

"We don't have the resources to deal with this; we are asking the international community to come to our assistance. We need to do this together as a global community," he says.

The UN says about 40 world leaders plan to attend the talks in the Danish capital from December 7-18 and it is hoped their presence will improve the chances of clinching a climate deal.

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