Australia needs to take more of a global leadership role on climate change action to help its Pacific island neighbours avoid being swamped by rising sea levels and triggering a surge in climate refugees, according to the vice-president of the Marshall Islands.

Tony de Brum, the minister-in-assistance to the president of the Marshall Islands, said that major emitters need to “re-think their ambition levels” over climate change and urged Australia to focus on the benefits of emissions trading.

De Brum is in Australia to drum up support for a Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership, which would demand more urgent action on cutting emissions.

The Marshall Islands, a collection of low-lying coral atolls within the Micronesia group, considers itself particularly vulnerable to sea level increases due to melting ice as the planet warms.

Christopher Loeak, president of the Marshall Islands, recently wrote an open letter to US secretary of state John Kerry that stated “we are fighting a war for the survival of my country”.

The sea walls of the capital, Majuro, were breached by the tide in June, closing the nation’s main airport, while a state of emergency was called over a drought the government said was driven by climate change, prompting aid to be sent by Australia.

De Brum told Guardian Australia that the Marshall Islands looked upon Australia as a regional “big brother” that needed to do more to help its islander neighbours.

“We think Australia should take more of an active and globalist role in climate change and as president of the UN security council, they will be in a unique position to engage with other nations to ease off on their emissions,” he said.

“I hope Australia will take more of a leadership role. They are the biggest country in the region and we’ve always looked at them for leadership. This is now the most critical challenge we face.”

De Brum said that Australia should look at the positives of tackling emissions, warning that failure to do so will see large numbers of people displaced as they flee the rising tides.

“Only 10 countries emit more than Australia so we are disappointed that the country hasn’t taken more of a leadership role and realised the opportunity in the carbon market and renewable energy jobs,” he said. “We realise that it’s an election time and these issues are tossed back and forth, but regardless of who leads Australia, we will look to them for action.”

“Large emitters have the luxury of time and to have other considerations. We don’t. We’re disappointed by the lateness of the American response and so we welcome the recent announcement by Barack Obama to look at the problem.”

“We hope Australia realises that climate change is a very real threat. What are we going to do if two million people in the Pacific islands need to move? We are already seeing people displaced in the Marshall Islands. Australia will be hosting the G20 summit soon, so it will need to use its influence to help us.”