By: Bernadette Carreon
PALAU — Palau ranks 104th out of 187 countries in the latest Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index, with a score of 45.1 out of 100. The index, compiled by the University of Notre Dame, measures how well countries can cope with climate change challenges.
The assessment identifies Palau as the 44th most vulnerable country to climate change globally but ranks it 81st in readiness to respond to those challenges.
“The high vulnerability score and high readiness score of Palau places it in the upper-right quadrant of the ND-GAIN Matrix. It is on the road to responding effectively to climate change, but the adaptation needs and urgency to act are greater,” the report said.
ND-GAIN evaluates countries using two main factors. The Vulnerability Score measures how severely climate change could affect a country, considering exposure to climate risks, sensitivity to impacts, and adaptive capacity across six areas: food systems, water resources, public health, natural ecosystems, housing and communities, and infrastructure. The Readiness Score assesses a country’s capacity to implement adaptation measures.
Among Pacific Island nations, Palau is one of the least vulnerable but ranks lower in readiness than Nauru, Fiji, and Samoa. By comparison, Papua New Guinea ranks as the 25th most vulnerable country and 159th in readiness, while Tuvalu ranks 15th in vulnerability but 28th in readiness out of 187 countries.