Overview:
Palau is advancing efforts to confront climate change through the updated PIRCA 2.0 assessment, a major regional report expected to guide national adaptation and resilience planning. Experts warn that rising climate threats, including sea-level rise, water insecurity and impacts on public health and infrastructure, require urgent, science-based action.
Updated regional climate assessment to guide policy, infrastructure and community adaptation as sea-level rise, water security and public health risks intensify.
KOROR, Palau (May 25, 2026) — “Climate change is one of the greatest threats to Palau’s future,” researchers and government officials warned as the nation advanced efforts to update a major regional climate assessment expected to shape adaptation and resilience planning for years to come.
The Palau International Coral Reef Center and Pacific RISA, in partnership with the Palau National Office of Climate Change, co-hosted the Palau Climate Information and Capacity-Building Workshop to review and validate the second Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment, known as PIRCA 2.0, for Palau.
The workshop brought together representatives from government agencies, technical experts and sector practitioners to examine updated climate science and assess the growing impacts of climate change on Palau’s communities, economy and environment.
Pacific Island governments have increasingly identified climate change as a major threat to regional security, economic stability, environmental sustainability and social well-being. The PIRCA assessment addresses those concerns by evaluating climate indicators, vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity across the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands and Hawaii.
Palau’s first PIRCA report was released in 2020. The updated assessment, led by PICRC researcher Tim Linsell, examines how climate conditions in Palau are changing and the projected impacts across critical sectors.
“The PIRCA process is important because it ensures that climate information is grounded in both science and local experience,” Linsell said. “By working closely with agencies and stakeholders, we can better identify climate risks and support practical adaptation planning for Palau.”
During the workshop, organizers presented draft findings from PIRCA 2.0, including updated analyses of observed climate trends and long-term climate projections for Palau. Participants reviewed preliminary findings related to natural resources, infrastructure, water security, public health and coastal communities — sectors considered highly vulnerable to climate-related impacts such as sea-level rise, extreme weather and ecosystem degradation.
Breakout sessions allowed participants to provide feedback, identify sector-specific concerns and refine the report to ensure it reflects local knowledge and national priorities.
PICRC Director of Research Geraldine Rengiil said evidence-based planning will be critical as climate impacts intensify across the Pacific region.
“This workshop represents an important step toward strengthening Palau’s climate resilience,” Rengiil said. “Evidence-based planning and informed policy decisions are critical as Palau continues to respond to the growing impacts of climate change.”
Organizers said the updated PIRCA 2.0 report is expected to become a key resource for policymakers, technical practitioners and communities as Palau develops long-term strategies for climate adaptation, infrastructure planning and sustainable development.
Work on the report will continue throughout 2026, with the final publication expected by the end of the year.
