 It is the stuff of science fiction, but climate change has forced the government of the low-lying Pacific archipelago of Kiribati to consider building "floating islands" as rising sea levels threaten the nation.  Speaking at the Pacific Islands Forum in New Zealand, where climate change was high on the agenda, anote Tong, the country's president, said islanders were so desperate that they were willing to consider several radical options. One of the most outlandish ideas involves building floating islands similar to oil platforms off the coast. The project would cost about $2billion (?1.25billion). The funds would have to be provided by the international community because Kiribati, which is halfway between australia and Hawaii in the South Pacific and has a population of 103,000, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Mr Tong said he had seen models of the floating islands and believed they could work. UN research suggests sea levels will rise by 20in by 2100, submerging most of Kiribati's arable land.  Bonnie Malkin