In a bid to repair Pacific ties, Australia legislates greater recycling use

FILE PHOTO: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a joint press conference held with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia, February 28, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will require government departments to use more recycled products, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, as Canberra looks to repair ties with Pacific island nations despite a refusal to step up efforts on global warming.

Morrison last year angered Pacific Island leaders when he declined to strengthen Canberra's target for reducing carbon emissions. The low-lying Pacific islands are on the frontline of climate change, battling rising sea levels that have forced some residents to move to higher ground.