Anthony Albanese is in Palau this week for the annual Pacific Islands Forum and regional security is expected to top the agenda.

China is testing nuclear-capable missiles in the Pacific, prompting talk of a new regional agreement. The United States-Iran war has exposed a reliance on costly fossil fuels that is undermining Pacific economies.

And as the world comes perilously close to the Paris agreement’s 1.5C temperature goal, a record-breaking El Niño looms in the Pacific Ocean.

But the forum will be missing key leaders – Solomon Islands’ prime minister, Matthew Wale, made a shock departure, flying out of Palau just hours after arriving, in order to deal with a looming leadership challenge back home.

And the Kiribati president, Taneti Maamau, the Samoan prime minister, Laʻauli Leuatea Schmidt, and Vanuatu’s prime minister, Jotham Napat, are also not attending. It is unclear if Fiji’s prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, will be present.

Pacific nations will want Albanese to address the world’s key security threat – climate change. As president of negotiations of the Cop31 climate talks in November, Australia can work with the Pacific to keep 1.5C within reach and secure much-needed finance for island nations at the climate frontline.

Since the second world war, the United States has maintained fortified bases in the Pacific and an unrivalled deep-water navy (the US also regularly tests long-range missiles in the region). However, China’s investment in military capabilities has........

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