STATEMENT,
PALAU PRESIDENT, HE. SURANGEL WHIPPS JR.
COP28
High-level segment national statement Plenary Al Ghafat – December 1
President Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber,
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Alii from Palau.
Your Highness Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we thank you for your generous hospitality and hosting this vital conference. With the largest number of participants ever, we have a prime opportunity to unite, act, and get back on track to 1.5 degrees.
Palau and our fellow SIDS contribute the least to global emissions, however, we suffer the most from the climate crisis, which is also an ocean crisis.
Our ocean feeds us, protects us, and defines us. We must protect it in return. That’s why Palau and the Pacific family are committing — at this COP — to manage 100% of our ocean and protect at least 30%. This benefits not only us, but the entire world because a healthy ocean is a healthy planet.
We have an ancient concept in Palau called ‘bul,’ which means to pause the harvesting so the ocean can heal and rejuvenate. In 2007, we declared a bul on the harvesting of bumphead parrot fish, it was difficult because they are a source of food and livelihoods. Thankfully, 16 years later, they have recovered. The fish spawn every month, creating a UNDERWATER FIREWORKS DISPLAY that is now a tourism attraction. Also a single fish produces 5.5 tons of sand a year. The sand is critical to protecting coastal erosion.
We need to respect the limits of nature and apply this concept globally.
We are witnessing the consequences of ignoring these limits—floods, droughts, heat, famine, death. We need to mobilize at least $100 billion annually to support the most vulnerable. It also must be accessible! It cannot be more debt that is drowning us.
Mr. President, climate change does not discriminate, and neither should we.
The Republic of China — Taiwan has pushed to help address climate change mitigation and adaptation, inviting Pacific islands and like-minded countries to work together. Taiwan provides direct financing to work with communities to build sea walls, shelters, and infrastructure to move to higher ground.
They also have cultivated an environmentally-conscious culture, which has led to private sector partners, like O’right, using green energy to create eco-friendly products in environmentally friendly packaging.
The solution to the climate crisis requires everyone’s participation, including the 23 million people of Taiwan and the thousands of businesses. Taiwan must be allowed to participate in UNFCCC processes and share their expertise.
There’s a Palauan legend of the two-headed eel that grew with one head on either side of a rock. Unaware of the other, they would pull each other as they went after prey. They began to starve and finally realized they were connected and had to work together to survive and thrive.
WE ARE SOVEREIGN COUNTRIES HOWEVER WE SHARE ONE PLANET.
WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER AND LIKE THE TWO HEADED EEL WE MUST UNITE, ACT and DELIVER to keep 1.5 ALIVE!
Mesulang. Shukran. Thank you.-_ENDS
