small island nations

Leaders of Pacific island nations used their addresses at the UN General Assembly to highlight the existential threats climate change poses to their countries, including rising sea levels and extreme weather. They urged the international community to take stronger action on emissions and to support vulnerable states facing displacement and loss of land.

The president of Palau addressed the United Nations General Assembly, pressing the international body on climate change and rising global tensions. As leader of a small Pacific island nation highly vulnerable to rising seas, the president used the speech to call for stronger global commitments on emissions and to highlight how geopolitical instability compounds the threats facing small island states.

Palau's president is promoting his country's campaign against climate change, highlighting how rising seas threaten the small Pacific island nation. Palau has been a leading voice for ocean conservation and climate action among small island states. The message is drawing attention to the existential risks climate change poses to low-lying nations and their push for stronger global commitments.

The Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda addressed the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The intervention formed part of the annual opening debate, where member states set out their positions on global issues. Small island developing states typically use the podium to press for climate action and financing support.

Grenada's Permanent Representative addressed the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The address forms part of the annual debate in which UN member states set out their positions on global issues. The content of Grenada's statement has not been detailed, but small island developing states typically use the forum to press for action on climate change and sustainable development.

St Kitts and Nevis is calling for urgent global action on climate change, according to a report in the St Kitts Nevis Observer. The appeal comes from one of the small island states most exposed to rising seas, stronger hurricanes and other climate impacts, and adds to long-standing calls from Caribbean nations for larger emitters to cut emissions and deliver promised climate financing.

The European Union Election Observation Mission is monitoring election day in São Tomé and Príncipe, with 50 observers deployed across the country. The mission is watching voting and counting procedures as the small island nation holds its polls. The announcement came from the EU's external action service, underscoring European support for transparent elections in the Portuguese-speaking African state.

A preserved green mamba specimen, kept in a jar, is at the centre of efforts to resolve a mystery dating back roughly 150 years in São Tomé and Príncipe. Researchers hope the specimen can settle long-standing questions about whether a distinct 'ghost' green mamba exists on the islands, with the find drawing attention to the country's little-studied wildlife.

Vanuatu is drawing attention at the UN General Assembly. The small Pacific island nation has been active at the UN in recent years, pushing causes such as climate action and international legal accountability that resonate beyond its size. Discussion is focused on what Vanuatu is raising at the gathering and how its diplomatic efforts are landing with other member states and observers.