Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has called on the international finance community to recognise the debt small island states are taking on for climate adaptation and mitigation.

PM Brown told RNZ the world's largest emitters refuse to phase out coal, and because COP26 failed to deliver any positive climate finance outcomes, countries like his have to dig deep into their own pockets to prepare themselves for the impact of climate change.

As the Cook Islands is classed as a middle income country, it does not have access to the climate support accorded to low income countries, he said.

"So for us the inevitability of opening up is there before us. It's either opening up by choice or opening up by necessity.”

Meanwhile, PM Brown said preparations to welcome travellers from New Zealand in the New Year are well underway.

In the Cook Islands, he said a lot of work has gone into achieving 98 percent Covid-19 vaccination coverage with health authorities looking to roll out booster shots when they become available in February or March.