United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday gave his ringing support to Pacific leaders, calling for urgent global action on climate change.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (L) greets a girl after his arrival to Tarawa, Kiribati September 4, 2011. [Xinhua]

Ban said his visit to the Solomon Islands and Kiribati before arriving in New Zealand for the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting had "reinforced my belief that climate change is happening and we must take action now."

"I'm here to continue sounding the global alarm about climate change," he said at a press conference with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who is chairing the event, on the opening day of the meeting.

Ban said he had a "much keener sense" of the problem after talking with Pacific leaders and seeing the effects for himself.

"I support their calls for more concerted action," he said.

"Climate change is not about what might happen tomorrow. This is about what is happening now today."

Ban also said the UN might be able to play a role in investigating alleged human rights abuses in Fiji, saying the United Nations was committed to supporting human rights.

Asked why the UN accepted Fijian troops in peacekeeping operations given the allegations against the military regime in Fiji, Ban said every soldier's record was carefully vetted before they were accepted.

Prime Minister Key denied Pacific Islands Forum members were split over the exclusion of Fiji, which has been ruled by a military regime headed by Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama following a coup in 2006. The Forum suspended Fiji in 2009 after the regime refused to hold elections in 2014.

The comments followed reports that Kiribati President Anote Tong said he would support Fiji's return to the Forum.

Tong reportedly said there was more support within the forum for Fiji than might be evident.

Key said the forum was a "family" of Pacific states, and like any family, they did not like to see members excluded.

New Zealand was ready and willing to provide help and support should Fiji request it in order to hold free and fair elections.

Key denied that discussion of Fiji's possible reinstatement had been suppressed during the meeting, saying some leaders had raised the issue, but they all agreed they were taking the right course of action on Fiji.

"The consensus view as we can detect it is that we're in the right place at this time," said Key.

The UN chief also called for Pacific nations to do more to empower women.

Ban told a press conference on the opening day of the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting that Pacific nations had " much room for improvement."

Progress on the representation of women and human rights issues would be discussed at regular intervals from next year, he said.

"Pacific Island countries can benefit from the power and potential of all their citizens, including women," he said.

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