Fiji, Oct. 22 -- Pacific Island countries are experiencing sea-level rise faster than the global average, while gaps in climate finance, governance and implementation are leaving vulnerable coastal communities exposed, a new Commonwealth report warns.
The 'Commonwealth Case Studies on Sea Level Rise - Common Themes Report', updated in 2026, examines the experiences of Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Tuvalu, alongside Guyana in South America.
It found that locally observed sea-level rise across the five countries exceeded the global average of about 3.2 to 3.5 millimetres a year, with Tonga recording 7.3mm annually since 1993 and Kiribati and Tuvalu about 5mm a year.
Guyana recorded rates ranging from 4.7mm to 10.2mm annually along ...