An Under-Appreciated Eco-Hero

You may not have heard of Tommy Remengesau, Jr. It could be that you've never even heard of Palau, the Pacific island nation of which he is President. However, his story is an inspiring one, and one that more people should be aware of.

As many know, low-lying Pacifc islands like Palau face the most immediate threat from climate change, as very small rises in sea level could reclaim great areas of land. Bangladesh, though not an island, faces a similar threat. Rather than accept the role of victim, powerless to control the actions of much larger nations, Remengesau led his small nation of 20,000 to take action.

Remengesau designated 20% of Palau's land area and 30% of its coastal waters as conservation areas. Not wishing to stop there, he issued the "Micronesian challenge" for neighboring islands to take the same conservation measures. The Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and the US terriotories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands all accepted the challenge. Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu have taken more modest measures.

The Micronesian challenge has also inspired Caribbean nations to participate in a similar "Caribbean challenge," pledging to protect 20% of land and marine habitats. The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and the Grenadines are currently involved, with more nations likely to join soon.

The moral? It's easy to follow behind everyone else, but sometimes we need to stop, assess the situation, and if necessary, blaze a new path. That is what Tommy Remengesau did, and it is truly amazing how many other nations have followed him.