The team visited a group of women taro farmers in Choll County, Palau to gain insights and feedback to help improve flood risk indicator tools.
Despite vulnerability to climate change, Pacific Island communities have become global leaders in climate research, advocacy, and adaptation, yet decision-makers still need more integrated, locally tailored information to effectively strengthen resilience. In Palau, stakeholders have identified improved flood preparedness as a top priority through multiple engagements including the Pacific RISA co-developed climate services workshop in February 2024. Palau’s national planning documents—including its Development Plan and Voluntary National Review (VNR)—underscore the urgency of science-based responses to flooding. Yet existing sea-level rise datasets often lack the resolution and practical framing required for effective local action.
In collaboration with Pacific RISA and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Level Center (UHSLC), this project addresses these needs by co-developing community-informed flood risk indicators that link observed sea level data and elevation surveys with locally defined impacts (e.g., road closures, agricultural loss, and damage to cultural sites). Using social and physical research as a powerful method to bridge the gap between science, climate adaptation strategies and policy, this project utilizes a mixed-methods approach that integrates:
Qualitative interviews with community members, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and government agencies to identify vulnerable areas and information needs;
Quantitative analyses of elevation data and tide gauge records to assess flooding thresholds, frequency, and severity under future scenarios; and
Decision-support tools aligned with Palau’s Climate Adaptation Plan, Voluntary National Review and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) Dashboard/Green Growth initiatives.
Through a co-production process with Palauan stakeholders, the resulting indicators are tailored to local cultural contexts, designed for practical application, and integrated with policy and planning frameworks. Outcomes will improve local flood preparedness, inform national climate adaptation strategies, and contribute to regional knowledge exchange through Pacific RISA and NOAA partnerships.
Locations and types of historical climate impacts in Palau’s states of Koror, Kayangel, Peleliu, and Angaur and the island of Babeldaob. The yellow box in the top inset shows the location of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean. (Figure credit: Brewington et al. 2024)
Research Team Paula Moehlenkamp (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)
University of Hawaiʻi Sea Level Center
University of Hawai‘i Department of Oceanography
Partners Palau Office of Climate
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Local2030 Islands Network
Our Vision
Pacific Island communities that are resilient to climate impacts and using climate information to manage risks.
Flood Risk Indicators in Palau
Despite vulnerability to climate change, Pacific Island communities have become global leaders in climate research, advocacy, and adaptation, yet decision-makers still need more integrated, locally tailored information to effectively strengthen resilience. In Palau, stakeholders have identified improved flood preparedness as a top priority through multiple engagements including the Pacific RISA co-developed climate services workshop in February 2024. Palau’s national planning documents—including its Development Plan and Voluntary National Review (VNR)—underscore the urgency of science-based responses to flooding. Yet existing sea-level rise datasets often lack the resolution and practical framing required for effective local action.
In collaboration with Pacific RISA and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Level Center (UHSLC), this project addresses these needs by co-developing community-informed flood risk indicators that link observed sea level data and elevation surveys with locally defined impacts (e.g., road closures, agricultural loss, and damage to cultural sites). Using social and physical research as a powerful method to bridge the gap between science, climate adaptation strategies and policy, this project utilizes a mixed-methods approach that integrates:
Through a co-production process with Palauan stakeholders, the resulting indicators are tailored to local cultural contexts, designed for practical application, and integrated with policy and planning frameworks. Outcomes will improve local flood preparedness, inform national climate adaptation strategies, and contribute to regional knowledge exchange through Pacific RISA and NOAA partnerships.
Research Team
Paula Moehlenkamp (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)
University of Hawaiʻi Sea Level Center
University of Hawai‘i Department of Oceanography
Partners
Palau Office of Climate
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Local2030 Islands Network
Our Vision
Pacific Island communities that are resilient to climate impacts and using climate information to manage risks.
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