Leaders from the world’s major economies have been urged to visit the Pacific region to witness firsthand the impacts of rising sea levels, a senior United Nations official said Monday in Palau. United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized the urgency of the issue while highlighting recent deadly floods in Nepal as part of a broader climate crisis that also threatens low-lying island nations through sea level rise.

Mohammed made her remarks during an annual summit held in Palau, where Pacific leaders convened to discuss key regional challenges including climate change, security, and crime. She called on G20 leaders to participate in an upcoming meeting hosted by Tuvalu in October, ahead of the UN climate summit in Türkiye, encouraging them to engage directly with the realities faced by vulnerable nations despite doubts some might not attend. Tuvalu, facing the prospect of severe land inundation, is reportedly preparing to relocate its population due to rising ocean levels.

Palau’s environment minister, Steven Victor, stressed that Pacific island countries are not seeking aid but require increased recognition and support to address their limited resources for handling the escalating threats from rising seas. “We need them to come and see,” Victor said.

A United Nations report released Monday highlighted a record pace of sea level rise, driven by warming oceans and glacier melt, which could displace up to 1.2 billion people worldwide by 2050. The report noted that Pacific island nations are experiencing sea level increases at twice the global average. It also pointed to a significant financing gap, with developing countries estimated to need between $310 billion and $365 billion for climate adaptation, far surpassing the $26 billion available in 2023.

In addition to sea level concerns, a scientific study presented at the summit revealed a sustained decline in global hard coral cover, which has decreased by 9.5 percent over the past four decades largely due to climate change. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network analyzed data from approximately 37,000 reefs across 120 countries, identifying a growing frequency of severe coral bleaching events, occurring every five to six years since 2010. Lead author Manuel Gonzalez Rivero noted that increasing marine heatwaves, combined with local stressors such as poor water quality, overfishing, and coastal development, are reducing reefs’ ability to recover from bleaching damage.

Reefs in Australia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean are among the hardest hit, with about 100 million people globally residing within five kilometers of coral reef ecosystems—an increase of 46 percent over the past 20 years. Palau’s President Surangel Whipps described the ocean as an essential link for Pacific nations but warned that it is currently in crisis.

The calls from UN and Pacific leaders underscore growing concern over the immediate and long-term impacts of climate change on small island states and their connected communities, while highlighting the need for international engagement, financial support, and effective climate action.