The global cost of disasters is growing: The economic burden of disasters is intensifying. While the direct costs of disasters averaged $70–80 billion a year between 1970 and 2000, between 2001 and 2020 these annual costs grew significantly to $180–200 billion. But the real cost is far higher. Disaster costs …
The government of Palau has proposed a target of achieving 100% of its electricity generation from renewable energy sources by 2050. This renewable energy roadmap for the Republic of Palau has subsequently been developed by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) at the request of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, …
Tropical cyclones and sea level rise cause major problems including beach erosion and damage to infrastructure in coastal areas. Inexpensive but effective plans for coastal protection will be needed by small island nations and developing countries. Natural breakwater formed by reefs is more cost-effective in coastal protection than the construction …
Coral in every major reef region across the world has already experienced bleaching, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts that temperatures in much of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans could reach a point at which significant bleaching of corals is present this summer. NOAA’s Coral Reef …
Drought-stricken Palau could dry up completely this month, officials warned on Monday as the Pacific island appealed for urgent aid from Japan and Taiwan, including shipments of water. The tiny country of about 18,000 people declared a state of emergency last month, the latest Pacific island nation to do so …
President Tommy Remengesau said rainfall in the capital Koror over the past four months was the lowest recorded in 65 years and the city`s only dam had dried up. He said Koror`s only other source of drinking water, the Ngerikiil River, was down to 19 percent capacity. "According to the... …
An island nation in the Pacific Ocean that's smaller than New York City has created an ocean reserve that's bigger than California. The president of Palau signed legislation Wednesday designating a reserve that's about 193,000 square miles (500,000 square kilometers) in size. This makes it one of the five largest …
Ocean acidification threatens the survival of coral reef ecosystems worldwide. The negative effects of ocean acidification observed in many laboratory experiments have been seen in studies of naturally low-pH reefs, with little evidence to date for adaptation. Recently, we reported initial data suggesting that low-pH coral communities of the Palau …
Pacific island leaders will renew calls for meaningful action on climate change at a regional summit opening in Palau on Tuesday, amid fears rising seas will swamp their low-lying nations. Many of the 15 nations represented at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) lie barely a meter above sea level, and …
The people of Palau, a small island nation in the northwestern Pacific, have long realized that the health and prosperity of their nation depends on the ocean. Because of this realization, Palauans have always worked to protect their ocean resources. That’s why Palau has drawn the world’s top scientists and …
Two of the world's smallest countries are to place nearly 2.5 million square kilometres of south Pacific Ocean in newly created marine protected areas. The Cook Islands, nation of 20,000 people on 15 islands, formally announced on Tuesday the creation of the world's largest marine park covering nearly 1.1m sq …
Pacific island nations and conservation groups have failed to persuade the body that oversees tuna fishing in the Pacific to introduce more stringent measures to protect tuna supply. Negotiations broke down at a meeting in Guam last month (March 26-30) of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), as …
This Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper presents case studies of the policy, governance and institutional issues of marine protected areas in Brazil, India, Palau and Senegal. It is the first of four in a global series of case studies on marine protected areas (MPAs). An initial volume provides an analysis …
This document presents the results of a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the University of the South Pacific. It presents the issues and requirements that Pacific islands face regarding the impacts of climate change …
This article investigates social, political and cultural aspects of sea turtle management led by the Tobian community at Helen Reef in the Republic of Palau. We use participant observation, unstructured interviews and examination of community -based natural resource management literature to compare and contrast the Tobian community with several other …
