NEW YORK, USANEW YORK - Speaking passionately at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau delivered a stark warning about the existential threat climate change poses to his island nation. Accompanied by his delegation, President Whipps emphasized the urgent need for the enactment of pending funds and programs, including the Loss and Damage Fund promised by the UN.
"Palau is often referred to as a 'small island developing state,' but I like to say that it's a Big Ocean State," President Whipps began, highlighting the unique perspective and challenges faced by his country. "The biggest existential threat that big ocean states face is climate change."
Describing the dire impacts of climate change, President Whipps painted a vivid picture of rising sea levels, severe droughts, and increasingly violent storms. "Sea levels are rising. Droughts. Storms... Coming into our homes. Coming into our food crops. And causing our island to disappear," he stated, underscoring the immediate danger to Palau's way of life.
The President also spoke about the profound social and cultural implications of climate change, noting the exodus of young people from the island. "Our children leave our island because they feel the lack of opportunity. And what's really at the core of the problem is maybe our extinction. The loss of our islands. And when we lose our islands, we lose our language. We lose our culture, we lose our heritage," he lamented.
Addressing the international community's response, President Whipps criticized the inadequacy and inaccessibility of promised financial aid. "They're big on giving us loans, but we need grants... Because this suffering that we're suffering is not because of our own doing. It's because of their doing," he asserted. Highlighting the difficulties in accessing pledged funds, he said, "We come to COP, and we come to the UN... and there's all these commitments. But then when we go to try to access those opportunities that they've pledged $100 billion, etc., they're very hard to get!"
Expressing frustration with the red tape and the loan-based assistance designed for larger nations, he added, "They're almost out of reach! They're really designed for large countries, not small countries. And then... They're loans! We're already in debt. They push us deeper into debt. The world is deciding for us. The world is taking away from us."
President Whipps concluded his speech by emphasizing the significance of sharing Palau's story on the global stage. "This opportunity to share our story [at UNGA], hopefully help other countries around the world raise their ambition to make the changes that we're asking for," he said, calling for collective action to address the climate crisis.
For the full interview with President Surangel Whipps Jr., watch the video produced by Universality and The Convergence.