Colombo, Sri Lanka — October 2025. The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) presented two pioneering contributions at the Regional Climate Change Conference (RCCC) 2025—an oral presentation on the State of the Marine Environment (SoME) 2024 and a companion poster on participatory mapping—highlighting Palawan’s evidence-driven pathway for climate-resilient ocean governance.
Delivering the oral presentation, Glenda M. Cadigal, RPF, Chief of the District Management Division for Southern Palawan (PCSDS), synthesized findings from 165 ecological and socio-environmental parameters assessed across six themes using structured expert elicitation with 59 specialists. The analysis charts strategic policy directions to protect marine biodiversity, strengthen climate adaptation, and align local action with national and international frameworks.
“The SoME 2024 provides the evidence base to guide this direction,” Cadigal emphasized, underscoring the bridge between science, policy, and community stewardship.
The State of the Marine Environment (SoME) 2024 for the Palawan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve was authored by an interdisciplinary team of experts led by Dr. Billy T. Haworth, Forester Glenda M. Cadigal, Mr. Edgardo C. Zabala Jr., Dr. Benjamin J. Gonzales, EnP Cherry Lyn S. Jalover-Par, Dr. Roger G. Dolorosa, Dr. Maria Mojena Gonzales-Plasus, Dr. Jeanbeth. S. Jontila, Engr. Madrono P. Cabrestante Jr., Dr. Eleanor Bruce, andProfessor Dr. Elaine Baker.
In a complementary poster, Dr. Billy T. Haworth (University of Sydney), with co-authors Professor Elaine Baker, Forester Glenda M. Cadigal, EnP John Martin S. Caligdong, and Mr. James Simpson, demonstrated how participatory mapping enhances expert elicitation—integrating scientific and local knowledge to improve data accuracy, transparency, and stakeholder ownership in marine spatial planning and adaptive ecosystem management. The approach stems from collaboration among the University of Sydney’s School of Geosciences, Geoscience Australia, and PCSDS.
Organized by The International Institute of Knowledge Management (TIIKM) of Colombo, RCCC 2025 convened scientists, policymakers, and practitioners around the theme “The Intersection of Climate Science, Adaptation, and Climate Financing: Focus on the Global South and Inclusivity. The 2026 RCC is slated for Bangkok, Thailand.
Participation of PCSDS in RCCC 2025 was funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia, through the University of Sydney, Geoscience Australia, and PCSDS partnership under the Marine Resources Initiative (MRI) Project. The MRI Project strengthens science-based marine management in Palawan by improving data integration, capacity development, and transdisciplinary collaboration for sustainable ocean governance.
