The Pacific archipelago of Palau is regarded as one of the best diving locations in the world, with hundreds of varieties of fish and coral found within its reefs. In an effort to protect those natural treasures from harmful chemicals, Palau recently became the first country to ban many types of sunscreen.
Amid growing anxiety about the world’s oceans, advocates hope that Palau’s law—which follows a similar measure by the state of Hawaii—may be just the first swell of a new legal wave.
