Growing challenges from sea level rise and risks to water and food security and human health are among the major issues detailed in a new report on climate change in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Considerations for managing threatened resources, including fresh water, fisheries, and infrastructure, are outlined in the report by the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA), a consortium of several government, NGO, and research entities.

Climate Change in the Republic of the Marshall Islands: Indicators and Considerations for Key Sectors is one in a series of PIRCA reports. Authors from Arizona State University, the East-West Center, the Majuro Weather Service Office, and the University of Hawaiʻi—along with 29 technical contributors from local government, NGOs, and research—collaboratively developed the RMI PIRCA report.

Key Messages

Climate Change in the Republic of the Marshall Islands lays out the changes the country is already experiencing, and what lies ahead. The key messages for decision-makers include:

• Sea level rise threatens infrastructure, food and water security, and important ecosystems and cultural sites. Frequent and extensive flooding, coastal erosion, and saltwater contamination of groundwater are expected as sea level rise accelerates, threatening the long-term habitability of the atoll nation.
• Ocean changes disrupt fisheries and cause coral loss. Coral reefs are key to the Marshall Islands’ fisheries and protection from coastal flooding. Fisheries changes and extensive coral loss are possible within the next few decades if current trends in rising ocean temperatures continue.
• Hotter days and nights and stronger storms affect human health. Temperatures have risen, and heat waves stress water supplies and exacerbate a range of pre-existing health issues. More intense tropical cyclones mean a greater potential for flooding and associated public health and safety risks.
• Collaborations and increased climate finance can bolster resilience. National government, international partners, non-governmental organizations, and local communities can work to expand adaptation strategies and access to climate finance, which is needed to meet the scale of challenges facing the RMI.

About Climate Change in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the PIRCA

The collective efforts of the technical contributors and coordinating authors made the RMI PIRCA report possible. The report builds upon the US National Climate Assessment, offering a closer look at climate change impacts in the RMI and providing information for a wide range of sectors.   

The PIRCA is funded and supported by Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s CAP Program (through Pacific RISA), and the East-West Center’s Research Program.

Cover photo: An aerial view of Majuro shows that atolls are primarily covered with forest or agroforest, surrounded by shallow reef. Photo courtesy of USGS project, “‘Vegetative Guide & Dashboard’ relating atoll traditional agroforestry recommendations to predicted climate and sea level conditions in the Marshall Islands.”