The black pearl of Tahiti is at the heart of French Polynesia's economy but is now highly vulnerable to climate change, and its fragile existence underlines - in a small but exquisite way - what is at stake in UN climate talks starting in Paris this month.

"We would be much happier not to have to deal with climate warming," said Teva Rohfritsch, the minister in charge of what is dubbed the "blue economy".

"Nature always adapts," he said, "but we will have to put forward measures to protect our ecosystem."