Pacific island nations on Thursday night signed a declaration promising action on climate change to counter "the greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific."

The declaration was agreed at a forum in Majuro, the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

"We want our Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership to be a game-changer in the global fight against climate change," said Marshall Islands President Christopher Loeak. "We need the rest of the world to follow the Pacific's lead."

A number of commitments were made in the declaration. The Cook Islands pledged to have 50 per cent of electricity needs met by renewable energy by 2015; the Federated States of Micronesia said it would decrease the import and use of imported petroleum by 50 per cent by 2020; and Niue said it aimed to have 100 per cent of its electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020.

New Zealand reiterated its goal of reducing emissions by 5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020; and Australia said it would meet 20 per cent of its electricity needs from renewables by 2020.

Loeak said he would push for similar commitments from the US, China, the EU and others at the end of the four-day Pacific Islands Forum meeting on Friday.

He will travel in late September to New York, where he will present the declaration to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. # dpa NOTEBOOK ## Internet - [Majuro Declaration press release] (dpaq.de/CQMsi) -[The Majuro Declaration] (dpaq.de/79mS2) * * * * The following information is not for publication ## dpa Contacts - Reporting by: Cheryl Norrie - Editing by: Robin Powell Tel: +66 2 7142073;