By Laurel Marewibuel
Abu Dhabi, UAE — October 2025- Palau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. highlighted Palau’s leadership in ocean conservation and climate action during the 2025 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The IUCN Congress, the world’s largest gathering on nature conservation, brought together global leaders, scientists, and environmental advocates to strengthen international cooperation on biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
President Whipps met with UAE and global leaders to advance Palau’s environmental diplomacy, promote ocean protection, and explore new areas of cooperation—including discussions on establishing a UAE Embassy in Palau, enhancing e-government systems, and expanding air connectivity to support economic growth.
In his address to the Congress, Whipps praised the UAE’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, calling it a model for global leadership. “We stand at a critical juncture: halfway to Agenda 2030 yet facing a reversal of decades of progress in nature conservation,” Whipps said. “While we must acknowledge these realities, we cannot be paralyzed by them. We must be creative, courageous, and collaborative.”
Drawing from Palau’s traditional conservation practice of BUL—a temporary moratorium imposed by village chiefs to allow ecosystems to recover—Whipps underscored the importance of balance between people and nature. “BUL teaches us that adaptability, restraint, and respect for natural limits are essential for resilience,” he said.
Whipps emphasized the central role of the ocean for island nations. “For Palau and all Big Ocean States, the ocean is our lifeblood—it sustains our economies, cultures, and identities. But it is also the planet’s greatest climate regulator,” he said. “To heal one, we must heal both.”
He reaffirmed Palau’s commitment to the “ocean-climate nexus,” ensuring that ocean protection remains integral to global climate action and financing.
At COP28, also held in the UAE, Palau and its Pacific partners launched Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity (UBPP), a regional initiative supported by the Bezos Earth Fund. Whipps noted that the program’s first $37.5 million in funding has already been deployed for Pacific-led marine conservation and management, with a goal of reaching $500 million. “UBPP is more than funding—it is a model for how culture, science, and partnership can power transformative conservation,” Whipps said.
Whipps also called attention to Palau’s early ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, urging other nations to join the agreement and support inclusive governance for ocean resources. He advocated for a dedicated Small Island Developing States (SIDS) seat in the BBNJ governance framework to ensure that the voices of “Big Ocean States” are represented.
On emerging environmental threats, Whipps reiterated Palau’s stance against deep-sea mining. “Deep-sea mining poses an existential risk to ecosystems we barely understand,” he said. “Palau, alongside 37 other nations, calls for a moratorium until science, not profit, guides our decisions.”
He also urged stronger global commitments to address plastic pollution, calling for binding caps on plastic production and greater support for cleanup initiatives.
Whipps commended the UAE for its leadership in advancing renewable energy and net-zero goals. As Palau prepares to chair the Pacific Islands Forum next year, he invited regional collaboration to accelerate clean energy transitions and endorsed Australia’s bid to host COP31 in the Pacific.
Reflecting on Palau’s decades-long conservation journey, Whipps traced milestones from the first marine reserves in 1956 to the 2015 Palau National Marine Sanctuary and the regional Micronesia Challenge. He emphasized that Palau’s traditional wisdom continues to guide modern conservation.
“Let us embrace BUL—the wisdom of balance—as a guiding principle for global conservation,” Whipps concluded. “A healthy ocean means a healthy planet, and a healthy planet means hope for us all.”