THE FEDERATED STATES of Micronesia have contributed very little to global greenhouse gas emissions, but are likely to be severely affected by global warming. An excess of 600 small islands and atolls constitute Micronesia, which is divided into the states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Micronesia is situated in the tropics of the western Pacific Ocean, just north of the equator.

Between 1947–86, Micronesia was a part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which was administered by the United States. Since 1986, Micronesia has been in a Compact of Free Association with the United States. Micronesia became a member of the UN in 1991, ratifying the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on November 18, 1993. Micronesia signed the Kyoto ...