Upholding the Common Heritage of Humankind

The "Upholding the Common Heritage of Humankind" is a historical speech delivered to the International Seabed Authority Assembly, on July 29th, 2024, by President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. of Palau. In this speech the President of Palau emphasized the historical significance of 1994, marking both Palau’s independence and the ratification of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.^[1]

Whipps highlighted Palau's commitment to protecting its ocean from exploitation, likening the current threat of deep-sea mining to a new form of colonialism.^[2] He underscored Palau’s deep cultural connection to the ocean and the crucial responsibility of sovereign nations to safeguard the marine environment. Whipps advocated for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, invoking Palau’s traditional practice of BUL, which emphasizes ecosystem management and resource regeneration. He stressed the importance of traditional and Indigenous knowledge in preserving the ocean’s health, and commended the efforts of Pacific Indigenous representatives and the Federated States of Micronesia in highlighting the cultural significance of the ocean. The president urged the assembly to engage in broad consultations with traditional communities to protect these valuable areas.^[3][4]