Fiji, Nov. 2 -- Pacific nations have warned that rising sea levels pose serious human rights and legal challenges, calling for stronger international cooperation and clear legal frameworks to protect communities affected by climate change.

Speaking during a debate on the International Law Commission's annual report at the United Nations Sixth Committee (Legal) on 29 October, Papua New Guinea said rising sea levels were compounding existing threats to Pacific communities.

The PNG representative described the phenomenon as "a twin disaster that seriously compounds an already-grave threat for our people".

He recalled the regional conference convened by the Pacific Islands Forum on the protection of people affected by sea level rise, stres...