Attachments
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With almost 1,500 kilometers (km; 1,000 miles) of coastline, the Republic of Palau (Palau) is vulnerable to droughts, typhoons, sea level rise, coastal erosion, and storm surges linked to climate change. Disasters have affected the small island nation, evidenced by the events of 2012 and 2013, when Super Typhoon Bopha and Super Typhoon Haiyan swept through causing significant wind damage to trees, homes, and structures, saltwater intrusion to agriculture, alterations to lagoon patterns, and storm surge flooding to coastal areas. In 2016, Palau was affected by severe drought. More recently, in April 2021, Typhoon Surigae damaged an estimated 1,500 houses as well as critical water and power infrastructure, and led to losses 4 across key sectors including health, public works, communication, agriculture, and education.
The region is experiencing more frequent and severe typhoons, sea level rise, and other climate change-related impacts. Climate change is expected to disrupt many aspects of life in Palau, and populations that are already vulnerable – e.g., children, women, individuals with disabilities, and others – are at greater risk from extreme weather and climate events. In Palau, both sea level rise and more frequent and intense rainfall events will produce flooding in coastal and urban areas. What is important to recognize is that a significant portion of the population and infrastructure is located in low-lying coastal areas; furthermore, high tidal flooding has significantly affected homes and infrastructure. Knowing this information, Palau has focused on reducing the risk of disasters at all levels, but particularly at the community level.
The Palau Climate Policy has been finalized and is used as a reference for national-, state-, and community-level planning. Efforts are also focused by the National Emergency Committee (NEC) and the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) on developing the State Disaster Risk Management Plans (SDRMP) that also adopt disaster risk reduction (DRR) processes. Palau has no disaster management (DM) legislation in place to address disaster risks. Rather, the Palau National Disaster Risk Management Framework 2010 (NDRMF) (amended in 2016) outlines the institutional arrangements for coordination and collaboration in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the impact of any hazard to Palau. It also focuses on the strengthening of national disaster risk management structures and mechanisms to incorporate DM and climate change adaptation (CCA) into the national budget and plans. At the national level, the NDRMF is being revised to include the integration of DRR strategies within the budgetary allocations and planning.
With regards to national coordination structure, the Disaster Executive Council (DEC) provides strategic direction and oversight, and the NEC is responsible for operational management. It consists of the NEMO and the Central Control Group (CCG). Overall guidance is provided by the DEC during an emergency or disaster, and the NEC carries out management and coordination with support from NEMO.
Palau is making efforts to make development economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. Over the years since independence, Palau has established governance and infrastructure and evolved from a low-income country in 1994 to reach high-income status in 2017. There are many Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets that Palau has obtained, is on track to realize, or requires additional efforts to maintain good progress. Key achievements include universal access to quality health care, education, poverty reduction, and enduring regional and global partnerships. Nonetheless, global economic forces and climate change remain challenges to the small island developing state.