A conversation ABOUT climate and community with President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau

by Enrique Ramirez

PRESIDENT WHIPPS JR. AND ENRIQUE RAMIREZ. PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDED BY E. RAMIREZ, 2026

Well known for its ambitious renewable energy transition, sweeping marine protection efforts, and steadfast advocacy for vulnerable small island states under the Paris Agreement, Palau has become a powerful voice and example in global climate action.

Recently, Climate Reality Leader Enrique Ramirez had the opportunity to interview the President of the Republic of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr.

President Whipps, Palau’s tenth president, has served since 2021 and is a prominent global climate advocate, championing the interests of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and supporting the 30x30 goal (protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030). He has also backed a moratorium on deep-sea mining and continues to call for a fossil-free Pacific.
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Read on to learn more about the connection between climate and communities, the Palau Pledge, the country’s renewable energy transition, and what climate leadership looks like from the frontlines.

MANY PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA CARE DEEPLY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE FUTURE OF THE PACIFIC. WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH AUSTRALIANS ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING PALAU AND OTHER ISLAND NATIONS FACING CLIMATE CHANGE?

President Whipps: I believe each county has the right to be sovereign, the right to live happily, and, most importantly, is that we have been entrusted with this planet by God and it is our responsibility to be good stewards, to take care of what has been given to us, and making the right choices; to drive less and walk more, to eat more vegetarian food, including Vegemite (laughs) and eat less meat. These are small changes that if everyone of us does their part, we can make a global impact. It is also important to protect our oceans. Why is this important? 

So we can protect the largest carbon sink. We always talk about the importance of the forests, but every second breath we take comes from the oceans, as they produce 50% of the world’s oxygen. We must protect the bottom of the ocean, the deep sea. One of the good things that Australians and Palauans share is the great commitment to the preservation 

PRESIDENT WHIPPS JR AND ENRIQUE RAMIREZ. PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDED BY E. RAMIREZ, 2026

and sustainable use of the environment, and it is important that together, we help the world to understand. That’s why it was so important for us to have Australia to host the UN Climate Change Conference (Conference of Parties) COP in 2026, unfortunately this is not happening as it will be held in Turkey, but at least, Australia is participating and when it comes to negotiations, Australia will be the president of those negotiations.  We will have a pre-COP in the pacific to prepare and bring the focus on the pacific and bring that to Turkey, because it takes all working together to make a change. It cannot be only the Pacific Islands fighting climate change; it requires the whole planet. It is essential for our children to understand this, and for everyone to take responsibility.​

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR FASTER CLIMATE ACTION. HOW IS YOUR GOVERNMENT INVOLVING YOUNG PALAUAN VOICES IN CLIMATE DECISIONS TODAY THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR FUTURE? 

President Whipps: One of the key things we did in 2022 was hosting the ‘Our Ocean Conference’ here in Palau. In many of these conferences there is a youth component that runs every year and the main one. In Palau, we said “no, we combine, because the youth should be heard”. That was one way we integrate youth voices because it is very important, we do that. I believe we are stronger together. At the end of the day, we are doing this for our children and the future generations to come.

THE PALAU PLEDGE HAS INCREASED AWARENESS IN VISITORS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE CONSERVATION. WHAT FURTHER ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE THIS PLEDGE IS RESPECTED AND THAT TOURISTS AND COMPANIES ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE?

President Whipps: When you come as a visitor, you make a commitment to our children to be a good steward. The pledge helps people understand how to minimise their impact, whether by making responsible choices, encouraging businesses to be more environmentally friendly and use renewable energy, or properly managing and recycling waste. All of these actions help us reduce our carbon footprint. We are planning to launch electric buses, hopefully by August, and to use other technologies such as solar panels, battery storage, and hydrogen-powered boat engines. We are committed to using these new renewable technologies wherever possible. Our current solar capacity to run the grid is about 20% and this is not too much, but we are also planning to install batteries 

KOROR, PALAU. IMAGE PROVIDED BY TIMO VOLZ, 2026

so we can improve to 25%. That is a big achievement for a small island, but we hope to encourage other Pacific Islands to join. We want 100% of renewables in the Pacific, and to achieve that, we just need a little bit of support, and I think we can transition already to make it economically viable. 

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR ADMINISTRATION HAS PROPOSED A 2032 TARGET OF 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY. WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TOWARDS THIS GOAL AND WHAT ARE ITS MAIN BARRIERS?

President Whipps: For us, it is difficult for our people to pay more for energy when switching to renewables, so one of our biggest challenges is how to deliver renewable energy at a lower cost than diesel. We currently have a Power Purchase Agreement with a private supplier, and we generate a lot of energy from solar; however, we need to be more efficient in capturing and using that energy, and that is why the Australian Government is helping us by providing batteries to store this energy, which will help bring costs down. Sometimes a small amount of grant funding is needed to help make this a reality. 

On another note, we believe we should not be afraid of new technologies; instead, we should focus on practical solutions. We have a target for 2032, and we believe that making renewables cheaper than diesel is achievable and could trigger greater investment in renewable technologies.

We are also working with Japan on a technology called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). This technology is already operating in Hawaii and in similar projects in Tahiti and Japan. A demonstration pilot project is planned for Palau, which we hope will provide a base load around 10% of our energy needs by 2028, with the potential to expand by 2032.

Unfortunately, Palau does not have much wind, so we need to explore other alternatives to address our energy challenges. There is significant potential in emerging technologies.

AS PALAU TOURISM INDUSTRY EXPANDS IN THE COMING YEARS WHAT FURTHER PROTECTIVE MEASURES ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO BATTLE GROWING ISSUES LIKE PLASTIC POLLUTION?

President Whipps: Most of the plastic—about 99% of what you see on the beaches and around Palau—comes from Indonesia, the Philippines, and unfortunately from many ships and cruise vessels. We are recipients of this garbage, not producers. We have recycling programs and initiatives to reduce the use of plastics. We have policies in place and are making progress; however, there is still room for improvement. We must also emphasise the importance of not polluting the ocean with plastic, as marine life consumes microplastics, which can then make their way back to us through the food chain. This is something we should all be concerned about for the health of humankind.