In President Remengesau’s speech during the United States Coral Reef Task Force Annual Meeting in Kona, Hawaii, he made assessment on the progress of the environmental initiative since he launched it two years ago.
Remengesau said that the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Republic of the Marshall Islands have raised over $12 million of the $18 million necessary for the implementation of the Challenge in the five jurisdictions.He said that the group that have supported the challenge are the Nature Conservancy and Conservation International and other private and public partners.In Palau, the president said Palau’s Congress has passed a law to generate approximately $1.6 million annually for management our nationwide Protected Area Network (PAN) through a $20 visitor’s fee.The president said the money will be combined with the income for the $12 million trust fund so that the PAN is self-funded.“Today the centerpiece of my country’s efforts to respond to major environmental threats, such as global warming, over-fishing, land-based pollution, recreational overuse and misuse, coral bleaching, lack of public awareness and climate change is the Micronesia Challenge,” Remengesau said.The president said Palau has made several initiatives that follows the Challenge such as the recent designation of Ngerdok Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Micronesia while the Ngarchelong State designated the Northern Reef under the PAN which now represents the largest marine protected area in Palau.The president in his speech also thanked the people of Palau, the Coral Reef Task Force, NOAA, the Department of Interior and other United States agencies.He said that NOAA and DOI have provided approximately $1 million per year in coral management grants and coral monitoring grants per year to Guam and CNMI.On Sept. 10, Palau will receive $1 million from TNC and another $1 million will be given to the Challenge after.
