KOROR, Palau – As climate risks intensify across Palau’s reefs, coastlines, and communities, the country has begun advancing its national climate priorities in a structured, fundable pipeline of projects that can meet the standards of international climate finance.
From 17 to 19 February 2026, Palau’s Office of Climate Change (OCC) led a climate finance writeshop in Koror to develop and refine the country’s first national climate finance pipeline for its emerging Climate Finance Country Programme.
Facilitated by the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Climate Finance Unit, it was a hands-on technical process in which Palauan stakeholders worked together to conceptualise, prioritise, and strengthen project ideas in real time, using structured tools that mirror the requirements of major climate funds.
The writeshop brought together 24 technical officers from across Palau’s institutions, including the OCC, Office of the President, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, Ministry of Finance, National Development Bank of Palau, Palau Conservation Society, Palau Protected Areas Network Fund, Palau International Coral Reef Center, OneReef Micronesia, and a number of non-governmental organisations.
Women accounted for 79% of participants, underscoring their critical leadership role in advancing climate action in Palau.
The event was opened by His Excellency Surangel Whipps Jr., President of Palau, who said the process will strengthen Palau’s ability to turn its climate priorities into funded action.
To this end, participants worked through structured analytical tools to ground project ideas in Palau’s climate risks and national priorities. This included problem- and solution-tree analysis to identify root causes of climate challenges and map out realistic interventions that could be delivered through Palau’s existing institutions. In addition, the writeshop included prioritisation exercises during which participants identified the main areas of investment needed to address the key climate challenges.
Participants were also given the opportunity to reflect on how safeguards, gender, and social inclusion can be integrated into project ideas, aligned with Palau’s national climate commitments and the requirements of major climate funds. The emphasis throughout was on technical credibility, financial coherence, and institutional feasibility.
Mr Dirk Snyman, Climate Finance Coordinator at SPC’s Climate Change and Sustainability Division, said the emphasis on practical, country-led project prioritisation was central to the outcomes.
“Across the Pacific, improved access to climate finance depends as much on strong national institutions as on strong project proposals. This writeshop saw Palau laying the foundations for a clear, structured pipeline that aligns national priorities with what climate funds require.”
The writeshop also identified opportunities to further strengthen Palau’s climate finance architecture, including project preparation, safeguards, and coordination across government, all of which are critical for accessing and managing international climate finance.
SPC’s Climate Finance Unit will continue to support Palau as it refines its pipeline and links it to ongoing readiness assistance and national climate change programmes.
The writeshop was supported through Palau’s Green Climate Fund Readiness Programme, and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
