By Kate Chapman of NZPA

Cairns, Aug 6 NZPA - Pacific leaders today called for a global emissions reduction target of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

At the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' retreat in Cairns they identified climate change as the "great challenge of our time".

Many low-lying Pacific countries are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, one of the most threatening results of global warming.

"We therefore address this call to action to all leaders in the global community and urgently seek their support to address this grave threat," they said in a statement.

The leaders of the 16-member forum focused on the agreement in Copenhagen in December as a major opportunity for world leaders.

"We call for a post-2012 outcome that sets the world on a path to limit the increase in global average temperatures to 2degC or less.

"We call on states to reduce global emissions by at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050."

Global emmissions should peak no later than 2020, the leaders said.

They asked "each major emitter" to show leadership and back up their words with action.

Reducing deforestation through finance, technology and capacity development was necessary to reduce global emmissions, they said.

"For our part, we know that we will need to adapt to the changes in our climate that are already inevitable.

"But developing countries cannot do this alone."

Financial and other support was vital to helping Pacific countries "act upon the threat of climate change", particularly their marine environments and food safety.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said forum leaders would be taking a "strong message" to Copenhagen.

Many Pacific Islands were vulnerable and were not the cause of the problem, he said.

NZPA