2019 State of the Environment Report Republic of Palau April 2019 An independent report presented to the President of the Republic of Palau by the National Environmental Protection Council (NEPC) Prepared by Anuradha Gupta 1 Palau State of the Environment Report 2019 Dear President, On behalf of the National Environmental Protection Council (NEPC), I am pleased to present you with this 2019 State of the Environment Report. Our previous 2017 State of the Environment Report was an important and impactful document that spurred action in Palau and was emulated by others in the Pacific. Palau’s comprehensive effort to catalog, attach meaning, and act on research and monitoring data piqued the interest of community members and researchers, who actively sought to be included in this new 2019 Report. Thus this 2019 State of the Environment Report is even more detailed and comprehensive than the previous one. Because of the inclusion of new Indicators and information, this Report does not just cover the period from 2017 to 2019, but goes back years to decades in order to provide a thorough picture of conditions and trends. The Report was widely reviewed before completion, and I am pleased that a wide array of scientists and resource managers agree that it presents an accurate and actionable snapshot of Palau’s marine, terrestrial, and human/urban environment and resources in 2019. New in this report is a stronger emphasis on the human element of the environment. It discusses the meaning of environmental indicators in daily human lives, and provides a better picture of the organizations and agencies that are working in various sectors. As in 2017, where we have invested, we have healthy conditions and trends. Where we–as a National Government–have not taken the lead, such as Nearshore Fisheries, our resources are in trouble. This Report provides a clear picture of where our priorities need to shift in order to provide for the Palauan people and our future generations. Sincerely, Minister Umiich Sengebau Chair National Environmental Protection Council Palau State of the Environment Report 2019 2 ONTENTS C ONTENTS C Photo courtesy of BWA/R2R Introduction and Summary ..............................................................................................................................4 About this Report & Key to Color Codes .....................................................................................................5 Humans and the Environment ........................................................................................................................7 Marine Environment .........................................................................................................................................8 Coral Reefs ................................................................................................................................................8 Nearshore Fisheries ...............................................................................................................................22 Offshore Fisheries .................................................................................................................................42 Select Marine Sites and Species ...........................................................................................................47 Mangroves .........................................................................................................................................................54 Terrestrial Environment ..................................................................................................................................58 Forests .....................................................................................................................................................58 Birds .........................................................................................................................................................67 Human/Urban Environment .........................................................................................................................74 Earthmoving and Development .........................................................................................................74 Water Resources .....................................................................................................................................77 Solid Waste and Recycling ....................................................................................................................80 Agriculture ..............................................................................................................................................83 Energy Sector and Transportation ......................................................................................................86 Environmental Health...........................................................................................................................88 Awareness and Capacity ........................................................................................................................89 Gender and Social Inclusion ................................................................................................................91 Conclusions and Next Steps ..........................................................................................................................93 References .........................................................................................................................................................94 Acknowledgements and Contact .................................................................................................................101 Marine Protected Areas ................................................................................................................18, 37-39, 57 Terrestrial Protected Areas .......................................................................................................................63-64 Endangered Species ..............................................................................................52 (marine), 65 (terrestrial) Climate Change ..............................................................................................12-16, 33-34, 45, 50, 57, 62, 72 Invasive Species ...................................................................................................................................50, 62, 72 Cover photos, clockwise from top left: Koror-Airai Bridge © Shutterstock/HighD; M-Dock Painting by A. Gupta; Woman at Spring courtesy of BWA/R2R; Solar Panels courtesy of Palau Energy Office; Dock from underwater © Shutterstock/Ethan Daniels; Taro courtesy of BWA/R2R. 3 Palau State of the Environment Report 2019 SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION & SUMMARY Photo by A. Gupta ON I T Introduction Terrestrial: 24 terrestrial indicators were assessed. 75% of C This 2019 State of the Environment Report (SOE) indicators were in good or fair condition or had a healthy trend; conveys trends of key natural resource and human response this is an increase from 2017 due both to new information and indicators through time, and analyzes their most recent successful initiatives. conditions and grades in relation to local and global goals and Protected Areas: Protected Areas (PA) indicators were standards. Where possible, it interprets meaning and assigns revised significantly. 8 marine, mangrove, terrestrial, and bird a Condition or Grade—Good to Poor—and uses a color- PA indicators were assessed. 84% had a good or fair grade; but coding system to convey whether indicators are healthy. It 16% were poor (the 2017 SOE had 100% good or fair, prior to applies the same color coding system to show if a trend is revisions). beneficial or harmful to the environment. This report fulfills Human/Urban: 26 human/urban indicators were assessed. NTRODU annual reporting requirements of the NEPC. This 2019 SOE 72% of indicators had a good or fair grade or with a healthy I follows up on the 2017 SOE, and was reorganized to include trend; this is the same as in 2017. State, Pressure, and Response to key marine, land, and urban habitats and sectors. Climate Change and Invasive Species are Coral Reefs addressed as pressures in multiple sectors; Protected Areas Most shallow coral reefs are in good condition. Shallow are reported on as a response (and addressed separately for reefs on the East Coast and deeper reefs (newly addressed in marine and terrestrial habitats). this SOE) are not in good condition. Many of the pressures on coral reefs are intense and getting worse. Global climate change Summary has immediate negative impacts on coral health. Local pressures 114 Indicators are presented; for each Indicator, several (such as sedimentation) are not well understood. Palau has lower-level indicators were assessed. 91% of Indicators (up responded well to these pressures, and continues to improve. from 82% in 2017) had adequate information to assign a Continued investment in MPAs (particularly the commitment condition, grade, or trend. by States to set aside new MPAs), means that only lagoons Marine: 62 marine indicators were assessed. 55% of and reef flats are still poorly represented in Palau’s network of indicators were in good or fair condition or with a healthy MPAs. Responses to local pressures have been very slow and trend; this is a decrease since 2017 largely in part to increased should be improved, particularly reducing sedimentation and information