Pacific islanders at risk of rising sea levels are struggling to be heard at the climate summit in Glasgow as the COVID-19 pandemic chokes off travel from the other side of the Earth.

Only three Pacific leaders — of Palau, Fiji and Tuvalu — have traveled to the COP26 U.N. climate talks in Scotland to make speeches to press for deep cuts in greenhouse gases by major emitters led by China and the United States.

Usually, almost all the leaders of 14 Pacific island states come to the annual talks.