Kiribati's ambassador to the United Nations, Makurita Baaro, says small island states like her country, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Tokelau are at the front line of climate change.
She has told the UN Climate Convention in Lima in Peru that they are an early warning system for the global community.
The Pacific nations combined with the Maldives earlier this year to create the Coalition of Low Lying Atoll Nations on the issue of Climate Change.
Ms Baaro says the tiny low lying nations present a whole new security challenge for the UN and also bring new meaning to human rights and the right to a secure future.
She says the international community must listen, take heed and act on what is happening.
Ms Baaro says it would make good financial sense to help the affected nations now and that assistance could shape a proto-type that will soon be needed on a global scale.
Kiribati's ambassador to the UN, Makurita Baaro. Photo: Supplied