NEWS

PI-CASC USGS represented at Our Ocean 2022 in Palau

Four people pose infant of Our Ocean welcome sign
The Department of Interior delegation to the 2022 Our Ocean Conference in Palau in April.

USGS Science Coordinator Heather Kerkering represented PI-CASC on the global stage, as part of the Department of the Interior’s delegation to the Our Ocean 2022 Conference in Palau. The conference took place April 13 and 14.

Kerkering participated in discussions that build upon and expand opportunities across climate needs, climate adaptation strategies, and ocean-climate commitments from around the globe, with an emphasis on our Pacific region. Through this, she is helping to solidify relationships that will enable PI-CASC to work with both established and new project partners and points of contact within US and territorial governments to apply USGS work across the Pacific, enhancing our shared climate resilience. (For a summary of our Pacific Island partnership efforts, visit this USGS webpage.)

Hosted by Palau and United States, the seventh Our Ocean conference gathered more than 500 representatives in government, educational institutions, businesses, and non-governmental organizations from around the world to highlight the critical role of indigenous peoples and local communities in tackling climate change and ocean crises. A livestream of the conference can be viewed on the Our Ocean website.