As the University of Guam’s week-long Conference on Island Sustainability nears its end, today the Republic of Marshall Islands president Dr. Hilda Heine made a powerful call to action as sea levels rise and climate change threatens island communities. 

"The people of the Marshall Islands, we come from a lineage of navigators and people of the sea. We depend on the ocean. It is our home," emphasized an empowering short film shown to island leaders, scientists, scholars and community members as they gathered for Day 5 of UOG’s CIS, kicking-off a powerful keynote speech. 

President Heine stated, "Today, in the face of climate change and rising sea levels, our nation is not merely trying to survive. We are working hard to be sustainable. We are working hard today so that future generations may thrive."

Like Guam, ocean stewardship is deeply rooted in cultural heritage for the Marshallese people.  "When we lose our land, we risk losing our lineage, our history and the social structures that hold our communities together. It puts at risk both our tangible and intangible heritage. Our sacred sites, our oral histories and traditional knowledge and material that define who we are," she said.

The president says genuine environmental sustainability calls for urgent action to combat climate change, protect ecosystems and reverse environmental degradation. And the RMI is taking steps to do just that.

"We are especially proud of our recent designation of the first national marine sanctuary in the Marshall Islands protecting Bikark and Bokak atolls as seen in the short clip," said Heine.

Their historic marine sanctuary protects the nation’s largest green turtle nesting colony, deep sea sharks, and coral reefs. "Rooted in the Reimaanlok (means to look to the future) framework, this effort is a testament to the power of community-led conservation," she stated.

In her closing remarks, President Heine underscored the urgent need to secure a resilient future and to “Act fast and act together”. She said, "The question before us is not whether we can rise to the challenge, but how quickly we can do it. Sea level rising is going up and fast. The future of our islands depends on the decisions we make today."