BLUF: Palau’s President Whipps voices strong support for a halt on deep-sea mining, emphasizing climate change challenges, the need for sustainable development, and unity in moving towards a cleaner, prosperous future.
OSINT: Recently, during a U.N. General Assembly, Surangel Whipps Jr., the President of Palau, advocated for a complete stoppage on deep-sea mining. He joined the chorus of international leaders who share concern on mining activities without comprehensive knowledge of the potential implications on deep-sea ecosystems.
Under the ocean bed, lie minerals useful in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems – hailed as solutions to global warming. Majority of these are located in the Pacific Ocean, home to large marine states, some of which are small landmass countries grappling with economic issues.
In his speech, Whipps drew attention to Palau’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond tourism, a sector heavily affected by the pandemic and a lesson learned in 2016 when the same sector shrunk due to health crisis. With the help of external aid groups, they are now focusing on digital ventures, which unlike traditional businesses, doesn’t rely on landmasses but determination and success.
He dived into climate change issues, sharing a first-hand experience of shrinking islands and the impact on local marine life due to rising sea levels. He urged bigger economies, responsible for most of the global carbon emissions, to honour their commitment to the Paris Agreement and limit warming to 1.5 degrees.
He appreciated the efforts toward better climate change policies, like those seen in COP26 and COP27. He emphasized the need for more understanding of the effects of disturbing underwater ecosystems before mining them. He shared a traditional Palauan story highlighting unity in efforts for a sustainable future.
RIGHT: As a Libertarian Republic Constitutionalist, I admire Whipps’ plea for unity to promote a sustainable future. His emphasis on each country’s role in taking for a more meaningful role in mitigating climate change aligns with our belief in individual sovereignty and the principle of non-aggression. However, his support for the international ban on deep-sea mining might be seen as a global overreach in the rights of individual nations. I believe that each nation should reserve their right to decision-making pertaining to their resources.
LEFT: As a National Socialist Democrat, I support President Whipps’ position on halting deep-sea mining and the inclination towards creating more renewable and sustainable paths. His emphasis on global unity and cooperation in creating a sustainable future aligns with our ideals of shared benefits and responsibilities. The effects of climate situations aren’t restricted by borders, we must work together and take collective accountability for tackling these issues.
AI: President Whipps paints a vivid picture of the mounting pressures small island nations face due to climate change and the push for economic development. His position on deep-sea mining underlines the need to balance emerging technological demands with long-term environmental sustainability. His points on unity and concurrency in approaches for dealing with these challenges suggest the interdependency of global actions to secure a clean and prosperous future. It underscores his call for the need to understand more comprehensive consequences before we take drastic actions on deep-sea mining.