5 Things I Learned Working in the Ocean/Climate Space:

Living in Palau, I had the opportunity to develop the communications strategy for the Our Ocean Conference, an annual global conference dedicated to bringing governments, industry leaders, civil society, and more to commit to safeguarding our ocean. I had always identified as a climate advocate, but I learned just about a lifetime of knowledge from working within the marine conservation communications space. This made me realize that if I didn’t know this much, what else does everyone not know?

I had to “get smart quick” on marine and environmental conservation to develop a global communications strategy from Palau’s perspective. This post highlights five key takeaways from immersing myself in the ocean and climate justice space. 

I will touch upon the following:

1. The Ocean is Absolutely Related to Climate Change
2. Island Nations (Like Palau) Rely on the Ocean
3. The Ocean is Out of Sight, Out of Mind
4. The Ocean is Only About 80% Discovered
5. Corals Are Very Much Alive - and Not Thriving

1. The Ocean is Absolutely Related to Climate Change

What do you think of when you hear the phrase climate change? Do you think of changes in temperature or changes in weather patterns? Or maybe, you think of the “melting ice is causing sea levels to rise” narrative? Whichever topics or phrases come to mind, do they ever include the ocean? For an easy-to-read breakdown of climate change and its effects on our lives, check out this post by the United Nations.

I had no marine science knowledge, but I did understand that burning fossil fuels (such as oil, coal, and gas) are causing global temperatures to shift. And this has been slowly happening since the Industrial Revolution (the early 1800s). The Our Ocean Conference seeks to shift the narrative about climate change and focus more on how the ocean is a solution to climate change.

So do these gases just sit in the atmosphere? Not quite. The ocean actually absorbs the trapped gas and additional heat. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has an excellent brief explaining why the ocean is disproportionately affected by climate change. The brief explains that the ocean is essential in regulating the Earth’s climate. IUCN also cites scientific studies on ocean warming and dives deeper into the catastrophic effects on the ocean, marine life, and human vulnerabilities.

2. Island Nations (Like Palau) Rely on the Ocean

In Palau, the ocean is life. Because islanders rely on the ocean for sustenance, climate change is not only changing temperatures throughout the world but is actively attacking a way of life. Living in Palau, I’d see folks fishing nearby or hear folks talk about the fish they caught over the weekend. I was spoiled at the local fishery because I could purchase freshly caught fish (hello, red snapper!) and have it cleaned, filleted, and ready for cooking.

Palauans and other islanders rely on the ocean for food. Sure, other food sources are available, but the ocean provides a plethora of fish for frying, smoking, or storytelling. Food scarcity increases if the ocean is warming, causing species migration patterns to change or causing ecosystems to die off. In addition to decreased resources, rising tides, and bad weather, climate change can cause millions of dollars in damage and ultimately displace people from their homes. In April 2021, Typhoon Surigae struck Palau and caused devastating damage. Palau had not experienced such a powerful typhoon since 2013.

In addition to how the ocean provides livelihoods, Palauans are also deeply connected to the ocean. There is a Palauan legend that states Palauans came from the ocean. Throughout Palauan folklore, the ocean is almost always included in the stories from a giant named Uab (pronounced oo-wab) who fell into the ocean creating Palau, or the woman who jumped into the sea and became a dugong. These stories highlight how the ocean is centered around island life. It is stressful for vulnerable island populations and communities to fathom a life without being able to connect to your livelihood, especially when your livelihood is constantly and more consistently under threat.

3. The Ocean is Out of Sight, Out of Mind

I saw the ocean every single day in Palau. When I drove to work, I would see the ocean. After work and on the weekends, I would swim in the ocean. My home in Palau was minutes away from the ocean. In Palau, the ocean became an integrated part of my daily life because it was readily available. During my research phase, where I learned that climate change is exhausting the ocean, I remember thinking, “Why don’t more people care about this?” My follow-up realization was, “Ahh. Geography.”

Your lifestyle is an extension of how and where you were raised. I grew up in La Habra, CA, a city roughly 20 miles (about an hour’s drive) inland from the pacific ocean. I then lived in Washington, DC, roughly 120 miles (about a two-hour drive) inland from Ocean City, MD, a popular beach city to relax and unwind. Living in American cities, you are constantly barraged with capitalism and consumerism where trivial things like from which franchise should I purchase my morning cup of coffee become a part of your daily routine.

There isn’t a huge concern about rising tides infiltrating one’s home in landlocked states. Instead, we are concerned about saving electricity, saving water, and recycling (I’m looking at you, California). While these actions contribute to resource management and environmental conservation efforts, they leave out the ocean. Americans simply don’t think about marine conservation because the country is landlocked, except for the west and east coast, which includes 20 out of 50 states, not including territories like Guam.

Is this selfishness? Yes, in part. Many people couldn’t point out Palau on a map if their lives depended on it. It is human nature to not think about what we don’t see (the very reason I hide ice cream in the back of the freezer). Island nations like Palau are taking the brunt of climate change due to more affluent countries’ actions. Check out this Time article by Palau President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. shedding light on how richer countries should be held accountable for the climate crisis.

4. The Ocean is Only About 80% Discovered

Since grade school, we were taught that the ocean covers around 70% of the earth's surface, but did we ever honestly think about it? I believe this must be repeated throughout ocean conservation’s social platforms. Again, the places I’ve lived did not empower me to learn more about oceans, but in Palau, I’ve seen some of the weirdest, coolest, and prettiest marine life I never knew existed.

I learned that the ocean is still not fully discovered and mapped, which means there are unknown species, ecosystems, and more. According to National Geographic, roughly 80% of the ocean has never been explored because our technology doesn’t allow us to dive too deep. I had the opportunity to talk with folks from the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), a non-profit dedicated to local and national marine research and conservation. PICRC has technology for deep water research and shared underwater footage of creatures at 620 meters deep (just over 2000 feet). It is unclear how long the camera remained at this depth, but this location captured footage of a Chaceon crab and provides invaluable insight into marine life and behavior.

It is astonishing to think that undiscovered creatures within the ocean are suffering or no longer exist. If we knew more about the ocean and the species living within, we might be better equipped to understand and end the ocean climate crisis. Because there are several unknowns about the ocean floor, geography, marine life, ecosystems, and more, it is crucial to invest in ocean science and technology like cameras and scuba gear that can withstand water pressure several thousand meters deep.

5. Corals Are Very Much Alive - and Not Thriving

When I first visited a nearby beach in Palau, I immediately noticed grey, crusty-looking rocks that seemed to wash up in bulk with the tides. Some were sharp, and most were tubular in shape. I remember thinking, “why is the beach covered in this?” I later found out that I was stepping on a graveyard of corals. Due to climate change, the world’s coral reefs are under threat of completely disappearing.

In the past 50 years, coral bleaching has been a growing cause of death to the world’s most vibrant coral reefs. Corals are actually classified as animals and share a symbiotic relationship with algae. When coral is stressed, algae is expelled, resulting in starvation. Stressors include significant environmental changes caused by climate change, such as heat, pollution, or too much direct sunlight. Not all bleached coral is dead, but prolonged stress and starvation lead to death. The World Wildlife Fund shares the basics of coral bleaching in this article.

Coral bleaching isn't just about protecting coral reefs - it’s about protecting vulnerable populations’ livelihoods. Corals are essential to reefs because of their role in multiple ocean ecosystems. They provide homes and shelters to reef fish, shrimp, turtles, jellyfish, sea stars, and more. These animals may face mass extinction if corals continue to die at an alarming rate. In a study performed between 2014 and 2017 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAH), it was discovered that 75% of the world’s coral reefs experienced heat stress.

Summary

Before my employment, I thought corals were plants and mainly ornamental. I also thought climate change only affected the weather and temperature. Now, I fully understand the importance of coral’s role within the ocean and climate change through islander perspectives. I am probably one of only eight people in America who can point to Palau on the map, and I am proud of that. I take Palau with me everywhere I go because I am more knowledgeable about marine conservation, marine protected areas, marine pollution, and, frankly, the underreported threats of climate change on humanity.

Thank you, Palau.

With love,
Raquel

A Visit To Peleliu

This is Orange Beach, the first American invasion site, which started the 73-day-long battle.

My partner and I headed to Peleliu for a quick weekend getaway. Knowing that Peleliu was home to some of the bloodiest battles in WWII, we elected to do a land tour. Our guide escorted us throughout Peleliu and essentially took us back in time.

View from Peleliu's highest point.

The island of Peleliu lies southwest of Palau's main island of Babeldaob. Peleliu used to be home to over a thousand people - until WWII came. Today, the island is populated by roughly 300 people as more families and youth move northeast to the big island. The island is traversed weekly by locals who may have family in Peleliu or by the savvy diver seeking adventure in the nearby reefs. Peleliu offers shipwreck dives and the famous Drop Off and Blue Corner dive sites for the diver. About 3-4 hotel locations are all conveniently located five minutes from the north dock.

War in Peleliu

 

The war devastated Peleliu. The war destroyed the natural environment and ancestral locations, and it also displaced people. By 1944, more than 11,000 Japanese soldiers occupied Peleliu. The island was an exceptional point of interest to the Japanese because they had already lost the Marianas, Solomons, and the Marshall Islands. They shaped Peleliu into a fort by carving caves out of the island's natural limestone, forcing the Americans to push forward into its defenses. The 73-day-long battle ended when a Japanese Imperial Army Colonel performed ritual suicide signifying defeat. 

Peleliu Today

Helmets with bullet holes.  

Remnants of the war are scattered almost everywhere. The island, spanning more than 5 square miles, exhibits tanks, howitzer guns, bullet casings, bullet-stricken helmets, bullet-stricken canteens, caves, and previously Japanese-occupied buildings. Over the past 70 years, the jungle's dense foliage has quickly buried then-obvious locations such as a Japanese communications building, American beachside camps, and entrances to caves, which the Japanese had built to hold Peleliu against American forces. 

A tank in the middle of the road.

It is astonishing to see old island photos depicting a barren wasteland with absolutely no trees. Aiding the bombardment of the land, flamethrowers were a common tactic to drive out opposing forces who hid within the caves during the battle. Due to the growth and towering trees, you cannot see past 10 feet in front of you. It is quite easy to become lost if you don't know your way. If we didn't have a guide to escort us, we would have missed the locations of tanks, bunkers, and communications buildings entirely.

The remains of a Japanese communications building.

Pictured to the right is a photo of the inside of a Japanese communications building. This building was huge. Upon entering the two-story building, your imagination brings you back in time. This building is in multiple old aerial shots from the war. Now overtaken by the jungle, this building offers shelter to the numerous fruit bats and other native creatures. 

An armored door, still intact.

 

The picture to the left shows an armored door, fully intact, which leads to an additional area for unlimited use. The second floor of this building has decayed, and only a staircase remains to indicate there was indeed a second floor. Outside this building, a couple of hangars were once used for mechanical repairs; only a few tools and/or cans are left. 

The Experience

While the Peleliu Land Tour offered many amazing sights and history, the experience that stood out to me was what is pictured below. This is an entrance to a Japanese air-raid bunker. Conveniently, this bunker is positioned right outside the building from the pictures above. If the Japanese troops heard that opposing forces were attacking from the air, soldiers would rush into the bunker for safety.

Entrance to a Japanese air raid bunker.

"You can go inside if you want," our tour guide beamed. 

Knowing that I would probably never have a chance to explore an untouched world war two relic, I obliged. I only made it down the steps to look inside, but this experience stood out because I could feel an icy and still presence as if the uncertainty of the soldiers' lives lingered in the air. My partner and the guide were merely ten feet away, but time seemed to stop down here. I endured only a few more minutes which felt like hours, and I rallied myself back up the stairs to the group. I'm not one for real-life ghost stories, but I think it was wise to leave this place undisturbed.

Ironically, it wasn't just this bunker where I felt a similar eerie feeling. I entered a couple of caves where 1000 men died within and where Japanese Colonel Nakagawa committed ritual suicide. The only scary things I saw were crickets the size of my big toe and upset fruit bats because we were obviously disturbing their peace. Of course, there were plenty of Sapporo beer bottles and even artillery left by soldiers.

For Now, At Peace

Our time in Peleliu will be forever memorable, not because we remember the glory of war, but because we remember the cost of war. I only hope the world doesn't fall into a third world war. What will become of small island nations should another war ignite? With Russia still invading Ukraine, the entire world waits. 

-Raquel

 

Where in the World is Raquel?

Okay, do you know where Guam is? No?

Do you know where the Philippines is?

Still no?

What about Japan?

Yes? Okay, great! I am about a 7-hour flight directly south of Japan, in the middle of the ocean.

To my left is the Philippines, about a 2-hour flight west.

And finally, Colombia is about a 30-hour flight directly east.

Have any guesses?

A map with a purple marker on Palau.

I am in the Republic of Palau, a collection of islands in Micronesia located in the western pacific ocean. Before I moved here, I absolutely had no clue where Palau is and what Palau is all about. 

Have you heard of it? 

Folks may not recall Palau, but some may turn their heads when they hear "Peleliu." Peleliu is an island in Palau, and it was the site of some of the bloodiest battles during World War II. The island still contains wrecks and relics from that time, now rusted and part of the reefs, and continues to attract tourists who thirst for war history and wreck dives. Peleliu offers a World War II Memorial Museum, still intact caves, and numerous war remnants such as tanks, artillery, and abandoned posts. I've set foot on the island once, and it was astonishing to see so many traces leftover from the war. You are already met with your first shipwreck fused into the reef as you drive into the dock. 

A WWII Japanese communications post and tank in Airai state.
Not in Peleliu

I keep mentioning reefs. Palau is also known for its scuba diving, snorkeling, and countless opportunities to explore its reefs and marine biodiversity. And the best part is you don't have to go very far! One day, I went swimming in Long Island Park, a notable public park in Koror. I swam maybe two feet out when a white damselfish decided to introduce herself to me. By introduce, I mean she took a mean bite into my calf, about the size of a fingernail. This fish drew blood. I admit I screamed underwater. This fish is merely the size of my hand! After the panic settled, I quickly understood that I was trespassing on her carefully made nest. Like a child learning to not touch a hot stove.

After my encounter with Mama Damsel, I realized the ocean is...full of creatures! And also scary. It is crazy to think that we still do not know a lot about the ocean and its wonders, yet we are so inclined to destroy it because we once thought the ocean was an endless resilient pit no matter what we threw into it. Okay, I'll get off my high seahorse - a post about climate change and the ocean coming soon.

My next few posts will dive more into Palau, the culture, the chickens, the food, and anything else Palau shares with me.

Welcome to my Palau chapter.

Raquel