Reporters from Hawai‘i ’s TV news channel KHON interviewed Dr. Victoria Keener, Pacific RISA Program Manager and Research Fellow at the East-West Center, as well as Ms. Deanna Spooner, Coordinator of the Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative (PICCC), and Mr. Stanton Enomoto, PICCC’s Cultural Adaptation Coordinator. The interviews took place at the Dec. 10 Pacific Islands Regional Climate Forum at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i . The forum convened decision-makers and scientists from across the Pacific Islands region and U.S. mainland to discuss the findings of the 2012 Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment, for which Dr. Keener and Ms. Spooner are co-editors.
The news segment aired Dec. 10 on KHON’s News at 5. You can watch the video clip of the segment here:
To learn more about the 2012 PIRCA and download PDF versions of the report, executive summary, and case studies, visit our PIRCA page.
HONOLULU (December 4, 2012)—The Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) today released its first report, Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts (Island Press). The report highlights the findings of more than 100 scientists and other experts who assessed the state of knowledge about climate change and its impacts on the Hawaiian archipelago and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. The report also examines the adaptive capacity of island communities in the region.
Click to download PDF 41.1 MB
“Climate change is real, and it’s already having an impact on Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific,” said Hawai‘i Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz, who leads the state’s clean energy efforts and Asia Pacific relations. “We islanders must make the necessary preparations for warmer, unstable weather. It will affect every aspect of our society and economy, including agriculture, real estate and tourism. The time is now for serious change.”
Among the major concerns for Pacific Islands discussed in the report are:
Decreased freshwater supplies in the future
Higher air temperatures, especially at high elevations
Higher sea-surface temperatures causing coral bleaching and linked to the increased prevalence of certain coral diseases
Threats to traditional lifestyles of indigenous Pacific Island communities
Rising sea levels, causing coastal flooding and erosion that are likely to damage coastal infrastructure and agriculture, impact tourism, and negatively affect ecosystems and endangered species.
“The effects of climate change are already being seen across the Pacific, and now the PIRCA report provides a foundation for prioritizing adaptation measures,” said Dr. Victoria Keener, East-West Center Fellow and Lead Editor for the report. “The report is a truly collaborative effort, incorporating many perspectives to create a clear picture of what is known about climate change in the Pacific Islands to date, and what we still need to study.”
Free Public Forum Dec. 10
To highlight and discuss the report’s findings, PIRCA will hold a free public forum on Monday, December 10 from 9:00 AM to noon at the Hawai’i Imin International Conference Center, 1777 East-West Road, Honolulu. Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz will give an opening address, followed by a presentation on PIRCA’s findings and a panel discussion with leaders from diverse sectors across Hawai’i and the Pacific region. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/pircaforum to RSVP for this event.
The 2012 PIRCA report is one in a series of technical contributions to the 2013 National Climate Assessment (NCA). The NCA is conducted under the auspices of the Global Change Research Act of 1990, which requires a report to the US President and Congress every four years on the status of climate change science and impacts. The 2012 PIRCA and the 2013 NCA will inform the nation about already observed changes and anticipated trends. Policymakers will use the NCA to set federal science priorities. Government agencies, communities, and businesses will utilize both reports to make decisions and plans for the future.
For more information about specific aspects of the report, please contact the following people:
NEW: Sign up to receive Pacific RISA newsletters and updates via email
We are pleased to invite you to join the new Pacific RISA)mailing list. You can subscribe to our newsletter to receive periodic updates about the state of climate knowledge in the Pacific Islands region and Pacific RISA’s research, publications, and events.
There are two ways to sign up. You can click here to subscribe, or just enter your email address in the “subscribe to our mailing list” box in the homepage footer.
Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts, the report of the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA), is currently in publication, expected to be released late Fall 2012. As part of the report, a number of case studies were developed, focusing on unique issues and areas within the Pacific region. To view the individual case studies in PDF format, click the thumbnail images below to download.
For more information about these case studies, please see the Case Studies / Impactsweb page. For more information about the full PIRCA report, see the Report & Materials web page. And for more information about the ongoing PIRCA project, please see the PIRCA Project page.
Majuro Water ResourcesHawaiian BirdsPacific Coral Reef ManagementFreshwater DisputeFish PopulationsMapping Honolulu SLRExtreme Water LevelsClimate Forecasts
Hawaii Public Radio program discusses adaptive water management with Richard Wallsgrove
“Can you weather a white paper on climate change?” Beth-Ann Kozlovich, host of Hawaii Public Radio’s weekday morning talk show The Conversation, asked this question by means of an introduction for Wednesday morning’s guest. Ms. Kozlovich spoke with ICAP’s Senior Attorney, Richard Wallsgrove, about the recent ICAP white paper that he co-authored, titled, Water Resources and Climate Change Adaptation in Hawai‘i: Adaptive Tools in the Current Law and Policy Framework.
Market-based adaptive tools and conservation measures recommended in the white paper were main topics of the conversation. Mr. Wallsgrove explained, “In the state right now, we use more than 300 million gallons per day. If we put that into milk jugs and laid them end to end, they would wrap around the earth twice every day.” This level of current water use, paired with observed climate trends such as decreasing rainfall, rising temperatures, and rising sea-levels, led him to conclude that Hawai‘i’s water future is “very scary.”
Mr. Wallsgrove explained that cost-effective measures, such as a rebate system for water-conserving retrofits and online water use reporting, could have cost saving benefits now and allow for a more secure water future.
You can listen to the show in The Conversation’s archive. The interview with Mr. Wallsgrove begins at 35:30. The show airs weekday mornings from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. local time on KIPO FM89.3 and KIPM FM89.7.
In August 2012, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled to vacate a 2010 decision made by the state Commission on Water Resource Management that impacts stream flows in Nā Wai ʻEhā, or the four great waters of Maui.
Two Maui community groups and the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs appealed the June 2010 water commission decision that amended instream flow standards for the Waiheʻe River and the Waiehu, ʻĪao, and Waikapū streams on Maui. Currently, much of the water that once flowed in Nā Wai ʻEhā is being diverted for commercial use. Commissioner Lawrence Miike dissented the 2010 decision, and had recommended restoring around half of the approximately 70 million gallons a day (mgd) diverted. The commission decision had restored only 12.5 mgd, setting a standard that left two of the streams completely dry.
The state supreme court justices concluded that the water commission had failed to properly consider traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices and the public’s rights to flowing streams. Further, the court ruled that the commission needed to more thoroughly investigate and consider possible alternative water sources, such as non-potable wells and recycled wastewater. The court remanded the case back to the commission for a new decision that is consistent with the court’s ruling.
“When I look at ʻĪao and Waikapū Streams, they’re bone-dry, nothing but skeletal remains,” Rose Marie Hoʻoululāhui Lindsey Duey of Hui o Nā Wai ʻEhā told Earth Justice. “The supreme court’s decision restores my hope that the law stands for something, and that each of Nā Wai ʻEhā’s four streams will flow like justice from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean).”
Hawaiian farmers in Nā Wai ʻEhā have long sought to end diversions and restore stream water, which supports traditional taro farming, native freshwater species, and near-shore fisheries, among other traditional practices and resources. This conflict over diversion of the Nā Wai ʻEhā began decades ago, and the ruling is considered a major victory for taro-farming communities on Maui. Like the landmark Waiāhole decision in 2000, the court’s August 2012 ruling affirms the commission’s duty to enforce legal mandates of the public trust and has significant implications for future water commission decisions.
Photos: The ʻĪao stream flowing above diversion point (top) and the dry stream bed below the diversions. Source: Earthjustice 2012
The Pacific Islands Climate Forum, presented by the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA), will be held on Monday, December 10, 2012, 9 am – 12 pm, at the Hawai’i Imin Conference Center on the University of Hawai’i at Manoa campus.
The Forum will consist of an interactive dialogue with climate experts and sectors leaders from across Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands region, and will feature an opening address by the Honorable Brian Schatz, Lt. Governor of the State of Hawai’i.
The event is sponsored by Pacific RISA, Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative, USFWS Pacific Islands Fish & Wildlife Office, USGS Pacific Islands Climate Science Center, and NOAA NESDIS NCDC Regional Climate Services.
Yale University’s Project on Climate Change Communication has released a new study on October 18, 2012, titled “Climate Change in the American Mind: Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in September 2012”. Some highlights of the study include:
Americans’ belief in the reality of global warming has increased by 13 percentage points over the past two and a half years, from 57 percent in January 2010 to 70 percent in September 2012. At the same time, the number of Americans who say global warming is not happening has declined nearly by half, from 20 percent in January 2010 to only 12 percent today.
For the first time since 2008, more than half of Americans (54%) believe global warming is caused mostly by human activities, an increase of 8 points since March 2012. Americans who say it is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment have declined to 30 percent (from 37% in March).
A growing number of Americans believe global warming is already harming people both at home and abroad. Four in ten say people around the world are being harmed right now by climate change (40%, up 8 percentage points since March 2012), while 36 percent say global warming is currently harming people in the United States (up six points since March).
In addition, they increasingly perceive global warming as a threat to themselves (42%, up 13 points since March 2012), their families (46%, up 13 points), and/or people in their communities (48%, up 14 points). Americans also perceive global warming as a growing threat to people in the United States (57%, up 11 points since March 2012), in other modern industrialized countries (57%, up 8 points since March), and in developing countries (64%, up 12 points since March).
Today over half of Americans (58%) say they are “somewhat” or “very worried” – now at its highest level since November 2008.
For the first time since 2008, Americans are more likely to believe most scientists agree that global warming is happening than believe there is widespread disagreement on the subject (44% versus 36%, respectively). This is an increase of 9 percentage points since March 2012.
Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
KHON Interview
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Posted on December 11, 2012 by Laura Brewington
KHON interviews PIRCA researchers
Reporters from Hawai‘i ’s TV news channel KHON interviewed Dr. Victoria Keener, Pacific RISA Program Manager and Research Fellow at the East-West Center, as well as Ms. Deanna Spooner, Coordinator of the Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative (PICCC), and Mr. Stanton Enomoto, PICCC’s Cultural Adaptation Coordinator. The interviews took place at the Dec. 10 Pacific Islands Regional Climate Forum at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i . The forum convened decision-makers and scientists from across the Pacific Islands region and U.S. mainland to discuss the findings of the 2012 Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment, for which Dr. Keener and Ms. Spooner are co-editors.
The news segment aired Dec. 10 on KHON’s News at 5. You can watch the video clip of the segment here:
To learn more about the 2012 PIRCA and download PDF versions of the report, executive summary, and case studies, visit our PIRCA page.
PIRCA Release
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Posted on December 4, 2012 by Laura Brewington
PIRCA releases report on climate change
HONOLULU (December 4, 2012)—The Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) today released its first report, Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts (Island Press). The report highlights the findings of more than 100 scientists and other experts who assessed the state of knowledge about climate change and its impacts on the Hawaiian archipelago and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. The report also examines the adaptive capacity of island communities in the region.
41.1 MB
“Climate change is real, and it’s already having an impact on Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific,” said Hawai‘i Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz, who leads the state’s clean energy efforts and Asia Pacific relations. “We islanders must make the necessary preparations for warmer, unstable weather. It will affect every aspect of our society and economy, including agriculture, real estate and tourism. The time is now for serious change.”
Among the major concerns for Pacific Islands discussed in the report are:
“The effects of climate change are already being seen across the Pacific, and now the PIRCA report provides a foundation for prioritizing adaptation measures,” said Dr. Victoria Keener, East-West Center Fellow and Lead Editor for the report. “The report is a truly collaborative effort, incorporating many perspectives to create a clear picture of what is known about climate change in the Pacific Islands to date, and what we still need to study.”
Free Public Forum Dec. 10
To highlight and discuss the report’s findings, PIRCA will hold a free public forum on Monday, December 10 from 9:00 AM to noon at the Hawai’i Imin International Conference Center, 1777 East-West Road, Honolulu. Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz will give an opening address, followed by a presentation on PIRCA’s findings and a panel discussion with leaders from diverse sectors across Hawai’i and the Pacific region. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/pircaforum to RSVP for this event.
The 2012 PIRCA report is one in a series of technical contributions to the 2013 National Climate Assessment (NCA). The NCA is conducted under the auspices of the Global Change Research Act of 1990, which requires a report to the US President and Congress every four years on the status of climate change science and impacts. The 2012 PIRCA and the 2013 NCA will inform the nation about already observed changes and anticipated trends. Policymakers will use the NCA to set federal science priorities. Government agencies, communities, and businesses will utilize both reports to make decisions and plans for the future.
For more information about specific aspects of the report, please contact the following people:
Work: 808-944-7220
Work: 808-944-7453
Work: 808-944-7254
Cell: 808-783-8787
Work: 808-687-6148Cell: 808-343-0223
Work: 808-587-2415
Work: 808-587-2406
Work: 808-956-6161
Work: 808-944-7672
Work: 808-792-9400
Cell: 808-349-0544
Work: 301-713-3020 x155
Pacific RISA News and Updates
Leave a Comment
Posted on November 29, 2012 by Laura Brewington
NEW: Sign up to receive Pacific RISA newsletters and updates via email
We are pleased to invite you to join the new Pacific RISA)mailing list. You can subscribe to our newsletter to receive periodic updates about the state of climate knowledge in the Pacific Islands region and Pacific RISA’s research, publications, and events.
There are two ways to sign up. You can click here to subscribe, or just enter your email address in the “subscribe to our mailing list” box in the homepage footer.
We hope you enjoy our informative updates!
Pacific regional case studies now online
1 Comment
Posted on November 7, 2012 by Laura Brewington
Pacific regional case studies are online
Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts, the report of the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA), is currently in publication, expected to be released late Fall 2012. As part of the report, a number of case studies were developed, focusing on unique issues and areas within the Pacific region. To view the individual case studies in PDF format, click the thumbnail images below to download.
For more information about these case studies, please see the Case Studies / Impacts web page. For more information about the full PIRCA report, see the Report & Materials web page. And for more information about the ongoing PIRCA project, please see the PIRCA Project page.
Adaptive Water Management
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Posted on November 5, 2012 by Laura Brewington
Hawaii Public Radio program discusses adaptive water management with Richard Wallsgrove
“Can you weather a white paper on climate change?” Beth-Ann Kozlovich, host of Hawaii Public Radio’s weekday morning talk show The Conversation, asked this question by means of an introduction for Wednesday morning’s guest. Ms. Kozlovich spoke with ICAP’s Senior Attorney, Richard Wallsgrove, about the recent ICAP white paper that he co-authored, titled, Water Resources and Climate Change Adaptation in Hawai‘i: Adaptive Tools in the Current Law and Policy Framework.
Market-based adaptive tools and conservation measures recommended in the white paper were main topics of the conversation. Mr. Wallsgrove explained, “In the state right now, we use more than 300 million gallons per day. If we put that into milk jugs and laid them end to end, they would wrap around the earth twice every day.” This level of current water use, paired with observed climate trends such as decreasing rainfall, rising temperatures, and rising sea-levels, led him to conclude that Hawai‘i’s water future is “very scary.”
Mr. Wallsgrove explained that cost-effective measures, such as a rebate system for water-conserving retrofits and online water use reporting, could have cost saving benefits now and allow for a more secure water future.
You can listen to the show in The Conversation’s archive. The interview with Mr. Wallsgrove begins at 35:30. The show airs weekday mornings from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. local time on KIPO FM89.3 and KIPM FM89.7.
Maui Stream Flows
Leave a Comment
Posted on November 1, 2012 by Laura Brewington
Court rules on Maui stream flows
In August 2012, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled to vacate a 2010 decision made by the state Commission on Water Resource Management that impacts stream flows in Nā Wai ʻEhā, or the four great waters of Maui.
Two Maui community groups and the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs appealed the June 2010 water commission decision that amended instream flow standards for the Waiheʻe River and the Waiehu, ʻĪao, and Waikapū streams on Maui. Currently, much of the water that once flowed in Nā Wai ʻEhā is being diverted for commercial use. Commissioner Lawrence Miike dissented the 2010 decision, and had recommended restoring around half of the approximately 70 million gallons a day (mgd) diverted. The commission decision had restored only 12.5 mgd, setting a standard that left two of the streams completely dry.
The state supreme court justices concluded that the water commission had failed to properly consider traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices and the public’s rights to flowing streams. Further, the court ruled that the commission needed to more thoroughly investigate and consider possible alternative water sources, such as non-potable wells and recycled wastewater. The court remanded the case back to the commission for a new decision that is consistent with the court’s ruling.
“When I look at ʻĪao and Waikapū Streams, they’re bone-dry, nothing but skeletal remains,” Rose Marie Hoʻoululāhui Lindsey Duey of Hui o Nā Wai ʻEhā told Earth Justice. “The supreme court’s decision restores my hope that the law stands for something, and that each of Nā Wai ʻEhā’s four streams will flow like justice from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean).”
Hawaiian farmers in Nā Wai ʻEhā have long sought to end diversions and restore stream water, which supports traditional taro farming, native freshwater species, and near-shore fisheries, among other traditional practices and resources. This conflict over diversion of the Nā Wai ʻEhā began decades ago, and the ruling is considered a major victory for taro-farming communities on Maui. Like the landmark Waiāhole decision in 2000, the court’s August 2012 ruling affirms the commission’s duty to enforce legal mandates of the public trust and has significant implications for future water commission decisions.
Photos: The ʻĪao stream flowing above diversion point (top) and the dry stream bed below the diversions. Source: Earthjustice 2012
Pacific Islands Climate Forum
1 Comment
Posted on October 31, 2012 by Laura Brewington
The Pacific Islands Climate Forum, presented by the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA), will be held on Monday, December 10, 2012, 9 am – 12 pm, at the Hawai’i Imin Conference Center on the University of Hawai’i at Manoa campus.
The Forum will consist of an interactive dialogue with climate experts and sectors leaders from across Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands region, and will feature an opening address by the Honorable Brian Schatz, Lt. Governor of the State of Hawai’i.
The event is sponsored by Pacific RISA, Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative, USFWS Pacific Islands Fish & Wildlife Office, USGS Pacific Islands Climate Science Center, and NOAA NESDIS NCDC Regional Climate Services.
To see the official announcement, click the image to the right. Please RSVP online at http://tinyurl.com/pircaforum
Yale Climate Change Study
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Posted on October 26, 2012 by Laura Brewington
Yale study: Climate change in the American mind
Yale University’s Project on Climate Change Communication has released a new study on October 18, 2012, titled “Climate Change in the American Mind: Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in September 2012”. Some highlights of the study include:
For more information and to download the report, please visit the project’s website at http://environment.yale.edu/climate/news/Climate-Beliefs-September-2012/.
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Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
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