3rd NES

National Environment Symposium
"New Opportunities for a Resilient Palau"

Building economic, food, and energy resilience in a Covid-19 world
Tuesday, August 18

3rd National Environment Symposium POLICY BRIEF

3rd NES Policy Brief - full color
3rd NES Policy Brief - low color for printing (saves on ink)

Press

PICRC updates Rubekul Belau on [National Environment Symposium], conservation, sustainability, and research projects (Tia Belau, October 12 )

PICRC updates Rubekul Belau on [National Environment Symposium], conservation, sustainability, and research projects (Island Times, October 9)

NES Briefing stresses “action” for food and economic security (Island Times, September 29)

Candidates confirm support for 3rd National Environment Symposium proposed action items (Tia Belau, September 28)

"New Opportunities for a Resilient Palau" Policy Briefing for all 2020 Candidates (Tia Belau, September 24)

Aquaculture to increase food security (Tia Belau, September 14).

Livestock farming is key to increase food security (Tia Belau, September 10)

Offshore fishery opens new opportunity for local fishermen (Tia Belau, September 7)

Taro farming and processing helps increase food security (Tia Belau, September 3)

Palauans Stay Out and Keep Out 2015 (not specifically from the 3rd NES but related) (Tia Belau, August 31)

Symposium focuses on building resiliency, food security (The Guam Daily Post, August 28)

Environment symposium recommends increased local investment, local control for resiliency (Tia Belau, August 27)

Bureau of Marine Resources will start you on aquaculture (Tia Belau, August 27; Correction from August 24)

Diversification key to sustain fishing industry (Tia Belau, August 24)

Family Hour: Keynote Speaker Miel Sequeira-Holm and Economic Security Sphere Co-Lead Tarita Holm (Palau Wave Radio 89.9 PWFM, August 24)

Young entrepreneur promotes reef-safe sunscreen (Island Times, August 21)

“Bul is not for fish”: Remengesau (Island Times, August 21)

Cover of Tia Belau (August 20): "Palau can produce only 3 months of food supply" and "Environment symposium focuses on building Palau's resilience"

Palau can produce only 3 months of food supply (Tia Belau, August 20)

Environment symposium focuses on building Palau's resilience (Tia Belau, August 20)

"Start your farm" with Bureau of Agriculture (Tia Belau, August 20). Download the "Start your Farm Flyer" created by MNRET, GEF6.

Miel Sequeira-Holm selected to be 3rd NES Keynote Speaker (Island Times, August 18)

Updates on Upcoming 3rd National Environment Symposium (Palau Wave Radio 89.9 PWFM, August 13)

Cover of Tia Belau (August 17): "Sequeira-Holm selected to be NES Keynote Speaker"

Sequeira-Holm selected to be NES Keynote Speaker (Tia Belau, August 17)

3rd National Environment Symposium looks inward at Self-reliance to Build Resilience (Island Times, August 14)

3rd National Environment Symposium (NES) to focus on building economic, food, and energy resilience in a Covid-19 world (Island Times, July 31)

3rd NES Facebook Page

Download PDFs of the Presentations - links to all documents

Symposium Summary - Summary on the Policy Brief given to the President and his Cabinet
Economic Security Sphere Presentations
Food Security Presentations and Interviews
Energy Security Sphere Presentations
Lunch & Learn Knowledge Management: MNRET Information Management Presentations
Keynote Address
FARMING - How to start farming flyer (MNRET - GEF6)
PLUS/DELTA Feedback form
PORTAL - INFORM DATA PORTAL

Overview

What position do we want our society to be in post-2020 in a Covid-19 world? On Tuesday, August 18th at Ngarachamayong Cultural Center, the 3rd National Environment Symposium (NES) will address this question. With a theme of “New Opportunities for a Resilient Palau”, the 3rd NES will offer a national platform to talk about opportunities and methods for strengthening Palau’s economy and sustainable practices in light of Covid-19 and its impacts on Palau’s security. The Symposium will also highlight ways Palauans can build resilience at different community levels (i.e., national, state and household).

Organized around three spheres of security (Economy, Food, and Energy), the Symposium will offer presentations and moderated discussions on issues in each sphere: 1) what is working – successful or resilient examples; 2) what is not working – challenges and gaps; and 3) recommendations for short-term opportunities to accelerate strengthening security and building resilience in Palau. The August 18th Symposium will go from 8:45 am to 4:10 pm (See the final Program).

Speakers

1) The Opening Session will feature the Minister of MNRET (as Chair of NEPC), a Keynote Speaker, and President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. with Special Remarks. Ms. Miel Sequira-Holm is the Keynote Speaker. She was selected by a unanimous vote of the NES Planning Team for her perspective as a youth, female, small eco-friendly business-owner, and activism (oceans, chemical pollution, plastics).

DOWNLOAD THE 3RD NES KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Ms. Miel Sequeira-Holm

"This pandemic is a window of opportunity for us to change things and has really shown us that we need to be more self-sufficient. We don’t have to always rely on imported products; we can make our own. We have so many talented and hard-working people right here in our own home. That is why it is so crucial that we support our local farmers and fishermen, our local businesses, and encourage more people, especially young people to start their own businesses. This will greatly benefit our economy, strengthen our food security, and spark creativity in our communities." Read the entire Keynote Address here.

2) The Economic Security Sphere will convey messages about looking inward at Palau's internal resources (cultural, human, natural), rethinking the role of cash and how "success" is measured, and then diversifying in a culturally-appropriate and eco-friendly manner. Speakers include: Belau Offshore Fisheries Inc. (BOFI), Erik Verheen (small business-owner), PAN Fund, Bureau of Tourism (Responsible Tourism Policy), and Tarita Holm and Ron Leidich (healthy economy, role of cash/foreign investment, community health index). Madelsar Ngiraingas (One Reef) will give the opening and moderate the discussion.

3) The Food Security Sphere will convey an overall message of sustainably increasing local production, with a focus on 3 aspects: growth/harvesting, processing, and marketing. Speakers are mostly from the community. Speakers include: Bureau of Agriculture (BOA Director to give an overview of current production), a Livestock Farmer, Matluk brothers (farming, processing), Yano's Market (farming, marketing), Rachel Lukas (Ngiwal community taro restoration and farming), Simeon Eberdong (fisheries), The Environment Inc., (aquaculture). Dr. Yimnang Golbuu (PICRC) will open and Lukes Isechall (MNRET) will moderate the discussion. The session will also feature an Information Table with flyers for "Friday Farmers" on how to start farming.

4) The Energy Security Sphere will convey an overall message of increasing use of renewables at the national, community, and homeowner levels. Speakers include: Palau Energy Administration (Gerald Tulop to overview Energy Policy), Anthony Rudimch (PPUC - Meeting the 45% nationally), Pia Morei (BNM/SGP - solar energy projects for communities), Karla West (NDBP homeowner solar program), and PEA Director Chilton (energy of the future). Umai Basilius (PCS) will moderate the discussion.

5) MNRET will present on "Building resiliency through Information Management" during lunch, highlighting the GEF6 and the Inform Project.

Funding

Similar to the previous NES, this 3rd Symposium relied on various funding source to carry out. A wide variety of partners are using aligned programmatic funds and donating their time to make the Symposium a success. Sources of financial support so far include:

Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism via the Inform Project, National GEF6 Project, and PAN Office
Ministry of Finance,
Ministry of Health,
Palau International Coral Reef Center,
Palau Conservation Society,
Environmental Quality Protection Board, and
GEF Small Grants Program
UN Joint Presence Office

Planning of the NES, Contributors, Planning Team, Sphere Working Groups

With true collaborative spirit, the selection of content, presentations, and discussion topics is being driven by Sphere Working Groups, comprised of partners from government, community organizations, educational institutions, and the private sector. The excitement and passion arising from the Sphere Working Groups is palpable and inspiring! See the list of people volunteering their time on the Planning Team and Sphere Working Groups.

The symposium is organized by the National Environmental Protection Council (NEPC) in collaboration with the Palau Conservation Consortium. Content for each sphere is being developed by volunteer Sphere Working Groups. For inquiries, please contact the 3rd NES Planning Group at palau.nepc@gmail.com.