On Tuesday, December 9, the 7th Annual Green Drinks NYC Holiday Party will seek to connect Manhattan islanders to the cause of other small islanders of the world impacted by climate change, raising awareness and support for Islands First’s work and mission. For more details, please see the invitation.

On Monday, 17 November 2008, Islands First and NYU’s Asian/Pacific/American Institute co-hosted an event to mark a critical cooperative endeavor by the PSIDS and over 60 co-sponsors: the submission of a resolution to the UN General Assembly calling for the Security Council to take up the issue of the relationship between security and climate change (read press release). The gathering was attended by diplomats, scholars, members of the media, activists and others who turned out to celebrate and support the work of the small island developing states in their battle to bring international attention to the neglected security implications of climate change.

Highlights of the evening included the presentation by Islands First of a grassroots petition of over 150,000 signatures in support of the resolution to H.E. Mrs. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, Chairperson of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS). National Geographic Fellow and first Polynesian Explorer at the National Geographic Society, Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey, Ph.D, gave a keynote presentation putting a human face of climate change, based on her first-hand knowledge of the plight of Pacific Islanders. She called on the United Nations to end the neglect of those whose lives are already being negatively impacted by climate change, and on the Security Council in particular to fulfill its obligation to safeguard international peace and security.

H.E. Mr. Robert Guba Aisi (Papua New Guinea) and H.E. Mr. Stuart Beck (Palau) discussed the status of the resolution and efforts being undertaken to widen support for it in the coming weeks. It is hoped that the resolution will be submitted to the Security Council in December of 2008 and Ambassadors Aisi and Beck called for efforts to widen civil society pressures on governments in support of this action.

Maldives is planning to buy land, possibly in Australia, should they need to relocate their country to escape rising sea levels. Also highlighting the human impact of climate change, 40 families from the Soloman Islands will be permanently evacuated to Papua New Guinea as flooding. Flooding has rendered their home islands largely uninhabitable and the islands may be completely submerged in as few as seven years.

A group of over 50 member states of the UN General Assembly, led by the Pacific Small Island Developing States, has submitted a draft resolution urging the Security Council to follow up on its thematic debate "Energy, Security and Climate" and to take action to address the very real threats to international peace and security resulting from the negative impacts of climate change.

A group of Pacific island nations, with a total population smaller than that of New York City, are lobbying to put climate change on the Security Council agenda.

The UN missions of the twelve island nations have continued to advance the General Assembly resolution on "The threat of climate change to international peace and security", which now has 19 co-sponsors in total. The resolution charges the Security Council with its Charter responsibility to protect member states. Read the recent press release from the Palau Mission and the new draft of the resolution at the links below.

One of the pernicious effects of rising sea levels is the erosion of coastal beaches and infrastructure. These pictures, taken in Palau this past summer, depict some of the early signs of this growing problem.

Faced with the existential threat posed by climate change and the stalemate of international negotiations, the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) are pushing for decisive action. The UN missions of the twelve island nations have circulated a draft General Assembly resolution on "The threat of climate change to international peace and security" to all member states. The resolution charges the Security Council with its Charter responsibility to protect member states.

Islands First celebrated its official establishment today at a luncheon hosted by the Palau Mission in the UN Delegates Dining Room. Attendees from ten Pacific Small Island Developing States spoke in turn about the problems facing small islands and the role for Islands First. Representatives from several foundations and media organizations supporting Islands First were also in attendance.

Addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations at the High Level Debate on Climate Change, H.E. Stuart Beck, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Palau, urged Security Council action on the issue in a speech today. Citing the "litany of disasters" faced by nations across the globe and the articles of the UN Charter obligating the Security Council to act, Ambassador Beck made clear that failure to do so poses an existential threat to many small island nations.

Ambassador Beck introduces the mission of Islands First, a new organization dedicated to assisting the Small Island Developing States confront the environmental threats facing their nations.