Country

Palau

Explore historical and projected climate data, climate data by sector, impacts, key vulnerabilities and what adaptation measures are being taken. Explore the overview for a general context of how climate change is affecting Palau.

Country Context

Palau is a microstate consisting of an archipelago of approximately 340 islands located in the Western Pacific Ocean. The main archipelago stretches across a 200km range in roughly a north-south orientation, starting from the Ngeruangel atoll in the north down to the Angaur in the south. In 2010, its estimated population was 20,518, of which 80% live in Koror (the island and state). Palau’s economy is based on tourism, subsistence agriculture and fishing, and the country relies heavily on US Aid in the form of the Compact of Free Association (Climate Change in the Pacific: Scientific Assessment and New Research, 2012). Tourism has seen a boost in recent years, partly due to the increase of air travel in the Pacific and growing prosperity in East Asia. The country’s GDP is $321 million and GDP per capita is $16,700. Palau is a biologically rich island group, home to the largest rainforests in the Micronesia region, as well as mangrove forests, seagrass beds and barrier reefs (UNDP).

Climate change poses several threats to the country, including coral bleaching, intense rainfall, sea-level rise, droughts and increased storm activity (UNDP). In its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC, 2015) published in November 2015, Palau committed to a 22% reduction in energy sector emissions (below 2005 levels) by 2025. Palau priced the investment required to achieve its NCD targets in renewable energy and energy efficiency at $5.5 million, with potential savings of $2.5 million arising by 2025.

Country level data at a glance

Climate Data

Explore further
Historical Trends

The section provides access to historical climate datasets for both temperature and precipitation from 1900 to 2016.

Explore further
Projected Trends

The section provides access to future climate datasets for both temperature and precipitation and their statistical derivatives for various timeframes and emission scenarios from 2020 to 2099.

Explore further

The section provides access to future climate datasets for both temperature and precipitation and their statistical derivatives for various timeframes and emission scenarios from 2020 to 2099.

Explore further

Climate by Sector

This section contains information from multiple climate indicators and indices relevant for key economic sectors. Simple narratives can help you interpret and extract summaries of potential climate change impacts at the sector level.

Explore further

Vulnerability

This section allows you to explore the susceptibility of livelihoods and natural systems to impacts from climate variability and change and facilitate the exploration of socioeconomic and development data and its relationships with natural hazards vulnerable areas.

Explore further

Impacts

This section allows you to explore the climate information from multiple climate indicators and present them with simple, embedded interpretation for an informative, high-level summary of the potential for future climate change impacts on key socioeconomic sectors.

Explore further

Adaptation

This section helps you grasp key national adaptation policies and reports, explore options for key sectors, and understand current adaptation gaps and needs for enhanced climate smart planning.

Explore further