NEW YORK — Whipps spoke during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters on Sept. 23, 2026. He stated that two-thirds of the nation’s Helen Island had disappeared when he recently visited with his children, roughly 40 years after his previous visit. Rising seas on Helen Island swallowed generational burial grounds.

"For us, it’s devastating," Whipps on Friday, 40 years after his previous visit. "It doesn’t mean we should give up." He noted that unequal power dynamics often silence island voices. "Sometimes you get drowned out," he said, referring to unequal power dynamics and physical land loss.

The president cited three typhoons in the past decade as evidence of accelerating climate impacts, contrasting with historical patterns of one typhoon every 40 years. Scientists and the United Nations state that the world is projected to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming mark within the next year or two. In 2015, small island nations secured a change to the Paris climate pact goal, tightening the limit on global warming from 2 degrees Celsius to 1.5 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times.

"Each fraction of a degree of warming increases the risk of irreversible sea level rise," said Anna Rasmussen, chief negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States. "We absolutely cannot surrender our pursuits of 1.5." Hilda Heine stated during her speech to the General Assembly on Friday that small islands did not cause climate change, but big industrial nations did. "We’ve seen schools destroyed by rising seas, salt water poisoning our wells, and disease outbreaks linked to environmental change," Hilda Heine said.

Whipps has adult children but no grandchildren. He expressed concern about the psychological toll on younger generations. "The sad part is, some of the kids, you talk to them, and they don’t want to have kids, because they think, ‘Why do you want to bring them to a world that’s faced with these problems?’" he said. "That’s also something that we need to take responsibility for."

Timeline

Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr. spoke during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters on Sept. 23, 2026.

Palau - General Debate, 81st Session | UN Web TV — Surangel Whipps, President of the Republic of Palau, addresses the General Debate of the 81st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 22-26 and 28 September 2026).

What's New

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution earlier this week calling for a legal framework affirming that statehood persists despite land loss, ensuring sovereignty and maritime rights for small island nations during rising seas. He has previously called for the establishment of a global climate justice fund to support small island nations, as outlined in his speech at the Pacific Islands Leaders Summit.

He cited three typhoons in the past decade as evidence of accelerating climate impacts, contrasting with historical patterns of one typhoon every 40 years. In 2014, the Republic of the Marshall Islands submitted a report to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, detailing the displacement of residents from Majuro Atoll due to rising sea levels and increased flooding. The Republic of the Marshall Islands has historically been a leader in advocating for the inclusion of climate justice in international treaties, including the Paris Agreement, as documented in a 2020 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

Why It Matters

The disappearance of two-thirds of Helen Island illustrates the physical reality facing small island nations as global temperatures approach critical thresholds. The U.N. resolution provides a legal framework for these nations to maintain their statehood and maritime rights even if their landmasses shrink or disappear entirely due to rising seas.

This development connects to broader regional efforts, such as those led by the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which has advocated for climate justice in international treaties while managing its own legacy of environmental contamination from nuclear tests conducted between 1946 and 1958. The personal accounts from President Whipps regarding youth despair highlight the social dimensions of climate change, where existential threats influence family planning and future outlooks.