New York, September 25, 2025 — At the UN Climate Summit this week, His Excellency Wesley W. Simina, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) warned that continued debate over the reality of climate change is “a distraction and a waste of precious time we do not have.” He urged world leaders to match science with action, stressing that small island nations are living the climate crisis daily.

“For Micronesia, the impacts are constant—king tides, storms, droughts, saltwater intrusion, and shifting rainfall that devastate our 607 islands,” President Simina said. “In 2024, severe droughts forced us to declare a State of Emergency, showing how quickly circumstances can turn dire at the frontline of this crisis.”

The President highlighted FSM’s record of global leadership, from championing the phase-down of harmful chemicals to being the first country to sign the BBNJ Treaty and co-leading the Global Methane Pledge. He announced that FSM will launch a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and Methane Roadmap at COP30, reaffirming its commitment to ambitious climate action.

“But no country can meet this challenge alone,” he stressed. “These commitments require solidarity.”

President Simina also renewed FSM’s call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and welcomed Colombia’s invitation to host the first international conference on the equitable phase-out of fossil fuels. “To keep 1.5 alive and secure our survival, we must act now—for today, and for all generations to come,” he concluded.

###