ENVIRONMENT

The Palauan government recently instituted a mandatory ‘eco-pledge’ for tourists—in the form of a passport stamp. (National Geographic)

What did our Pristine Seas team find in Palau?

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit.

PALAU PLEDGE
Children of Palau
I take this pledge,
as your guest,
to preserve and protect
your beautiful and unique
island home.
I vow to tread lightly,
act kindly and
explore mindfully.
I shall not take
what is not given.
I shall not harm
what does not harm me.
The only footprints
I shall leave are those
that will wash away.

Discussion Ideas

• What is Palau’s “eco-pledge”? Read through this Q&A from the president of Palau for some help.
  • The “Palau Pledge” is a new part of Palau’s tourism and immigration process. It is a promise of environmental conservation stamped onto all visitors’ passports, and must be signed by all visitors upon arrival in the country. The pledge is preceded by a video (above) played on all incoming flights. The video and stamp are available in the “five languages consistent with the key inbound visitor markets of Japan, USA, Korea, Taiwan and China.”
  • Palauans have also taken the pledge—from the president, the first pledgee, to traditional chiefs and residents.
  • You, too can sign the pledge. Sign here!

• What are some examples of activities addressed by the Palau Pledge? Watch the video and take a look at the website for some help.
  • DO NOT
    • LITTER.
    • collect marine life souvenirs, such as shells or corals.
    • feed wild fish.
    • drag plastic swim fins over corals when swimming.
    • step on the coral.
    • take fruit or flowers.
    • chase or pursue wildlife in order to take selfies with them.
    • smoke in restricted areas.
  • DO
    • support local businesses and communities.
    • respect local customs.
    • learn about Palauan cultures and people. (Get a start with our reference resource here!)

• Why is Palau pursuing this conservation strategy?
  • conservation. “Conservation is at the heart of our culture,” says Palauan President Tommy Remengesau.
    • Children from all over Palau participated in the drafting of the pledge, and the pledge itself is directed at them—the future.
    • In 2015, Palau passed legislation to protect 80% of the country’s waters—the largest percentage of protected marine territory of any nation in the world. Learn more about Palau’s commitment to conservation with our Pristine Seas expedition here.
  • economy. Conservation protects the Palauan economy in two ways.
    • Tourism is the primary economic industry in Palau. (The island nation of about 20,000 residents welcomed almost 150,000 tourists in 2016.) Tourism in Palau relies on the environment—biodiverse reefs, lagoons, and tropical island forests—but the increased human footprint has put a strain on Palau’s infrastructure and environment. Reducing human impact on the environment will ensure the lure of the tropical island for generations to come.
      • From the Office of the Palauan President: “The impact of mass tourism for Palau will be slow to fully realize. The reefs will be broken and polluted, affecting the health of the ocean and speeding up the devastating effects of climate change on a small island nation. Trash and chemicals will clog beaches and effect the health of its rare wildlife and environment. Endangered species will become scarcer and could disappear forever. But by making changes now, the hope is to reverse this process to preserve and protect Palau.”
    • Subsistence fishing is a traditional economic activity in Palau. Overfishing and other extractive activities (such as collecting shells, corals, and seagrass) have reduced Palauan fisheries. Conservationists hope the eco-pledge will allow local fisheries to recover.

• How is Palau enforcing the “eco-pledge”?
  • “Palau already has existing laws to protect the environment. One outcome of the Palau Pledge is to empower enforcement officers to impose existing laws.”
    • Existing environmental laws include fines for not adhering to fishing quotas, littering, collecting shells and other marine life, feeding wild animals, chasing or otherwise harassing wild animals, and collecting flowers and fruit.

TEACHERS TOOLKIT

Nat Geo: Palau Becomes First Country to Require ‘Eco-Pledge’ Upon Arrival

Phys.org: Pacific’s Palau forces tourists to sign eco-pledge

The Palau Pledge

Office of the President, Republic of Palau: What is the Palau Pledge?

Nat Geo: Pristine Seas: Palau