A French official at the president's office has described the possibility of Pacific climate refugees as a new issue to ponder.
French president Emmanuel Macron speaks during the closing session of the One Planet Summit. Photo: AFP or licensors
This came during discussions around the One Planet Summit on climate change chaired by the French government.
The Elysee Palace spokesperson was describing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies currently being employed or proposed by the French government as part of its commitment to the Paris Agreement.
He said the third strategic pillar was finance as funds were imperative to stemming global temperature rise and helping countries adapt to the changing environment.
He said the current changes were likely to worsen for the next 20 years before getting better.
He said finance and industry changes heralded by the One Planet Summit this week would continue to benefit the planet beyond this.
When asked about people in the Pacific who were already struggling with sea-level rise, storms and surges, and who may be forced from their homes, he said this was a new challenge for the French government to consider.