In December of 2016, the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea (IMELS) granted $800K to the Republic of Palau to help build resilience to extreme drought events. The funding was received after Palau faced one of the most severe droughts ever in its recorded history, both in terms of duration and intensity.  Of the two main water sources supplying the population centers of Koror and Airai States, one went dry and had to be shut down, while the other experienced a reduction in water production by 87%. read more

In January 2017, the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) celebrated its 16th Anniversary with the Annual Fundraising Dinner Gala. During the celebration the first and last “Visionary Award” was presented to President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. for his exceptional visionary leadership in moving conservation forward. Through innovative conservation actions, President Remengesau Jr. has inspired Palauans and the world. He has shown that although Palau is a small island nation it is pioneering in world conservation. read more