By Inoke Rabonu in Apia, Samoa
Small island nations may be among the smallest voices at global climate talks — but they often carry the greatest moral and scientific weight, says Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) lead negotiator, Galumalemana Anne Rasmussen.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable in Apia, Rasmussen said her role representing 39 nations in high-stakes talks with major emitters like China, the United States, and the European Union is “both difficult and invigorating.”
“You’re up against really strong countries,” she said.
“We’re always overlooked because they look at you as a small country that doesn’t bring much to the table. But if you change the angle, we have always punched above our weight. We are the biggest custodians of the world’s largest Ocean ecosystems — the lungs of the earth.”
Rasmussen, who has spent her career in Samoa’s environment ministry before moving into the international arena, said the survival of island nations is deeply connected to the survival of the planet’s climate systems.
“Without our islands, our ecosystems, our coral reefs, the rest of the world will not survive. Healthy oceans regulate a livable climate for all,” she said.
Rasmussen’s career began in hands-on environmental projects, from restoring mangroves in Savai’i to building seawalls in vulnerable villages. Those early projects still stand today, shaping her approach to global negotiations.
“When I’m in the international arena, I’m grounded by the fact that I’ve restored forests and protected coastlines. It’s not an individual job — it’s collective work,” she said.
One of the gaps Rasmussen sees in small island negotiator capacity is rooted in cultural norms.
“We are taught to respect elders, to not speak before we’re spoken to, to be quiet. But with training and empowerment, our young negotiators are finding their voices,” she said. “Fear and second-guessing are still there, but I see that slowly changing.”
She emphasised that AOSIS is the united platform for all island nations in global talks.
“We’re not PCS, we’re not CARICOM — we are all islands, and we only have one platform to negotiate at.”
Rasmussen also hailed the recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate change as a “milestone” for small island states.
“It calls out the major emitters to do better, to reduce emissions. It recognises the 1.5°C goal, the legitimacy of COP decisions, and the importance of science,” she said. “It gives us a legal basis to back up our interventions.”
For the next generation of negotiators, her message is clear: “Be informed, be prepared, and be teachable. When you step up, have grounding to rely on.”.
