Policy governing environmental and social projects issued

By: L.N. Reklai

July 17, 2016 (Koror) President Remengesau Jr. issued a policy for environmental and social programs in Palau through an Executive Order 390.

With increasing number of environmental and social programs coming into Palau, Palau government finds that it needs to express an environmental and social policy to ensure that it endorse programs that do not bring harm to environment, public health and vulnerable communities, according to policy issued under EO 390.

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“An environmental and social policy will bring the national government’s practices generally in line with the practices  of Accredited Entities of the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund and other leading financing institutions  active in environment and development financing” states the Executive Order 390.

The Executive Order asserts that all social and environmental programs/projects to be endorsed by the Republic of Palau must be governed by 8 performance standards.

The 8 standards included 1) Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, 2) Labor and Working Conditions, 3) Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention, 4) Community Health, Safety, Security and Equity, 5) Land Acquisition and Involuntary Settlement, 6) Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, 7) Indigenous Peoples and 8) Cultural Heritage.

President Remengesau Jr. signed the Executive Order 390 on July 17^th, 2016. [/restrict]