Many low-lying Pacific nations such as Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands fear they could disappear beneath the waves completely as sea levels rise.
The message to curb global warming and help poor countries deal with climate change was hammered home by religious leaders in Paris delivering petitions with almost 1.8 million signatures from people around the world.
This week, the UN’s weather body said the average global temperature for the year 2015 is set to touch 1 C, halfway towards the Paris conference’s attempted limit.
And analysts say voluntary carbon-curbing pledges submitted by nations to bolster the Paris pact, even if fully adhered to, put Earth on track for warming of 3 C.