Pacific island nations seek to turn geopolitics into funding to offset climate change harm

Palau Pacific Islands Forum - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

When stormy seas batter Melekeok state on Palau’s biggest island, the Pacific Ocean floods right into people’s homes.

“We keep telling the legislature we need to move inward,” said Bol Sebalt, 43, who was born and raised on the low-lying beachfront. “But because of a shortage of funding we cannot.”