The Republic of Palau is the nation which I hail from. It boasts a
diverse array of wildlife and tropical vegetation, and is ranked among
the world’s top dive sites because of its beautiful coral reefs.
Unfortunately, urbanization in our islands, and other factors in other
parts of the world, has brought climate change in the form of heavier
and irregular rainfall patterns, unpredictable sea level changes, and
most devastatingly, coral bleaching. These corals lose their life and
their colors until they are nothing more than deadened rock. Then, the
creatures which depend on these corals for shelter, such as smaller
reef fish, die, and in turn the larger fish which prey on the small
reef fish die as well, and the cycle continues on.
In my cartoon I have depicted the coral bleaching process. The black
and white appearance of the land and city above the water represent
the extreme heat caused by global warming and climate change. The city
and cars, with the smoke issuing from them, in particular represent
the urbanization which contributes to this warming. The top half of
the reef, with Palau’s mushroom-shaped Rock Islands that appear to be
sinking from sea level rising, has been colored in the same black and
white manner to represent the coral bleaching. While the bottom half
is still colorful and full of life, the distressed faces of the fish
and sea life I have drawn suggest that it will not remain that way for
very long.
This change in coral reefs is devastating not only from a tourism
standpoint, but from a local perspective as well. Reefs where local
fishermen throw their nets and their lines are growing emptier and
emptier as the corals die. Even as I go swimming in my home state of
Melekeok, I have noticed that the reef colors and diversity are not as
vibrant as before, and more fish go missing every day. Obviously,
climate change is decimating the most beautiful aspect of Palau. I
strongly hope, for the future of our country and for our economic and
cultural survival, that climate change can slowly be reversed and
coral bleaching can stop.
