Among the findings of the Fifth US National Climate Assessment, released by the White House, are that climate change in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands worsens inequities and threatens unique island ecosystems, along with cultural resources, human health, livelihoods, the built environment, and access to clean water and healthy food. The assessment concludes that adaptation strategies incorporating local and Indigenous knowledge can improve the resilience of Pacific Island communities, and that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change impacts are now underway in every US region, including the Pacific Islands
“Climate change continues to threaten things we care about,” said Frazier, now an assistant professor at Clark University and the Hawai‘i-Pacific chapter’s lead author. “As the devastating hurricane-fueled wildfires on Maui and Typhoon Mawar in Guam made clear, when communities are already hurting from stressors like COVID-19, extreme weather can multiply harms. The sooner we scale up global action to curb threats from climate change, the better. Fortunately, cutting emissions or preparing for new extremes also creates immediate local benefits—improved health, a stronger economy, and more resilient communities.”
The chapter’s key takeaways for the region include:
Figure 30.5, US Fifth National Climate Assessment, https://nca2023.globalchange.gov/chapter/30#fig-30-5
Climate change impairs access to healthy food and water. Increasing temperatures, altered rainfall, flooding, pollution, and fisheries decline will further affect food and water availability.
Climate change undermines human health. Climate shocks and stressors compromise healthcare and worsen long-standing social and economic inequities that contribute to illness, but community strengths and adaptation measures can boost resilience.
Rising sea levels harm infrastructure and islands’ economies. Sea level rise intensifies loss of territory and disrupts livelihoods, but governments and communities are innovating through renewable energy, green infrastructure, and sustainable economic growth.
Responses help to safeguard tropical ecosystems and biodiversity. Increased fire risk, severe droughts, and ocean changes have broad negative impacts on native plants and wildlife, and ocean ecosystems. Effective adaptation strategies include ecosystem protection and restoration, invasive species measures, and fire prevention.
Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems are central to the resilience of island communities amidst the changing climate.
New since the Fourth National Climate Assessment, published in 2018, is the chapter’s inclusion of a key message on human health and its emphasis on food security, integration of Indigenous knowledge, and recognition of data inequities for the Pacific Islands and US Caribbean.
About the Fifth National Climate Assessment
Mandated in the Global Change Research Act of 1990, the National Climate Assessment provides authoritative scientific information about climate change risks, impacts, and responses in the US. The assessment reflects the scientific consensus and is widely used for decision-making but does not include policy recommendations nor advocate for any specific policy.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment includes 32 chapters on physical science, national-level sectors (such as water, energy, agriculture, ecosystems, transportation, health, infrastructure, etc.), regional impacts in the US, and responses. The assessment was written by a diverse team of more than 500 authors and more than 250 technical contributors from every state. The report has undergone multiple rounds of review, including three opportunities for public comment, extensive agency review, and an external review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The Hawai‘i and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands chapter has 16 authors and 41 technical contributors and is backed by nearly 500 citations from published literature.
In September 2023, PI Dr. Victoria Keener and Project Specialist Chelsey Bryson traveled to Mo’orea, French Polynesia to attend the semi-annual International Ocean Science, Policy and Law Conference. The conference was organized by the Jon Van Dyke Institute (JVDI) and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, and the theme was Te Ara Moana, or “ocean pathway.” The meeting encompassed a range of sessions dedicated to blue pathways to island sustainability. It also served as the inaugural meeting of the Pacific Islands Marine Stations Association (PIMSA), created by JVDI to provide a vehicle for collaboration on ocean science and data, to disseminate information about funding and research opportunities, and to elevate young scholars and researchers. Read More
Covering all of our accomplishments from June 2022 to May 2023, this year’s Annual Report demonstrates through research, engagement, and impact how we continue to be a leading and trusted program for island climate adaptation solutions. It is also our first Annual Report that reflects our new program name! Read More
Our hearts go out to our families, friends, colleagues, and all those affected by the devastating fires on Maui. As this tragedy continues to unfold, the Pacific RISA team is committed to supporting communities experiencing loss.
For anyone looking for a way to help, there are many ways to support Maui families through donation and mutual aid. Here are a few ways to donate or offer assistance:Read More
In May of 2023, as part of the Pacific RISA project to use natural capital-informed decision making to guide ecosystem-based climate (EBA) adaptation, PI Dr. Kirsten Oleson led her team on a scoping trip to the island of Kauaʻi. This trip kicked off the effort to develop and strengthen partnerships with the County of Kauaʻi Planning Department, and to forge connections with local community groups. Along with University of Hawaiʻi MS students Michelle Harangody, Ann Nyambega (NREM) and Brian Gorberg (Dept. of Earth Sciences), PI Oleson sought to gauge community groups’ interest in co-producing knowledge about the outcomes of their ecosystem-based adaptation projects. While on Kauaʻi, the team met with County adaptation planning officials, agricultural extension agents and community leaders, attended a climate adaptation public meeting for the community of Līhuʻe, and worked alongside fishpond restoration groups to gain first-hand knowledge to inform the project. Read More
The Pacific RISA is excited to announce our new program name!
We are now Pacific Research on Island Solutions for Adaptation, or – as you already know us – “Pacific RISA” for short.
Why make a change?
Fifteen years ago, we adopted NOAA’s national program moniker “Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments” into our name to clearly demonstrate our relationship with the NOAA RISA network. In 2022, however, NOAA selected a new program name and all of the former RISA teams are now collectively known as “NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships“. This gave us an opportunity to consider whether to keep our current program name or explore other options. Read More
What does “Island Sustainability” look like? Is it workforce training to remove harmful invasive plants from forests and ensure abundant freshwater supplies? Is it promoting a circular economic model that collects discarded waste products and converts them into small business opportunities? Is it summer camp opportunities for youth to learn how to protect marine and terrestrial life by keeping rubbish out of the oceans?
Pacific RISA, a NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnership (CAP) Welcomes New Members to Advisory Committee
Honolulu, Hawaii – Pacific RISA is thrilled to announce the appointment of nine new members to its Advisory Committee for Phase IV of its 5-year grant cycle, Building Equitable and Just Climate Solutions for Pacific Island Resilience to Compound Disasters and Extreme Events. The new members, who will serve through Fall 2026, are Kelley Anderson Tagarino, Amanda Ellis, Dr. Kealoha Fox, Matt Gonser, Kaʻāina Hull, Trina Leberer, Malia Nobrega-Olivera, Ruby Pap, and Dr. Dave White. Read More
Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
Fifth US National Climate Assessment Release
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Posted on November 14, 2023 by pacrisa
Pacific Confronting Growing Climate Change Impacts, Official US Assessment Finds
Adapted from the East-West Center Press Release at: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/news/news-release/pacific-confronting-growing-climate-change-impacts-official-us-assessment-finds
Among the findings of the Fifth US National Climate Assessment, released by the White House, are that climate change in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands worsens inequities and threatens unique island ecosystems, along with cultural resources, human health, livelihoods, the built environment, and access to clean water and healthy food. The assessment concludes that adaptation strategies incorporating local and Indigenous knowledge can improve the resilience of Pacific Island communities, and that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change impacts are now underway in every US region, including the Pacific Islands
The report’s chapter on Hawaiʻi and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands was written by 16 authors, including Pacific RISA’s Abby Frazier, Victoria Keener, Zena Grecni, Kirsten Oleson, and Chris Shuler. The chapter has 41 technical contributors and is backed by nearly 500 citations from published literature.
“Climate change continues to threaten things we care about,” said Frazier, now an assistant professor at Clark University and the Hawai‘i-Pacific chapter’s lead author. “As the devastating hurricane-fueled wildfires on Maui and Typhoon Mawar in Guam made clear, when communities are already hurting from stressors like COVID-19, extreme weather can multiply harms. The sooner we scale up global action to curb threats from climate change, the better. Fortunately, cutting emissions or preparing for new extremes also creates immediate local benefits—improved health, a stronger economy, and more resilient communities.”
The chapter’s key takeaways for the region include:
New since the Fourth National Climate Assessment, published in 2018, is the chapter’s inclusion of a key message on human health and its emphasis on food security, integration of Indigenous knowledge, and recognition of data inequities for the Pacific Islands and US Caribbean.
About the Fifth National Climate Assessment
Mandated in the Global Change Research Act of 1990, the National Climate Assessment provides authoritative scientific information about climate change risks, impacts, and responses in the US. The assessment reflects the scientific consensus and is widely used for decision-making but does not include policy recommendations nor advocate for any specific policy.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment includes 32 chapters on physical science, national-level sectors (such as water, energy, agriculture, ecosystems, transportation, health, infrastructure, etc.), regional impacts in the US, and responses. The assessment was written by a diverse team of more than 500 authors and more than 250 technical contributors from every state. The report has undergone multiple rounds of review, including three opportunities for public comment, extensive agency review, and an external review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The Hawai‘i and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands chapter has 16 authors and 41 technical contributors and is backed by nearly 500 citations from published literature.
“Te Ara Moana” – International Ocean Science, Policy and Law Conference, Mo’orea
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Posted on October 27, 2023 by pacrisa
In September 2023, PI Dr. Victoria Keener and Project Specialist Chelsey Bryson traveled to Mo’orea, French Polynesia to attend the semi-annual International Ocean Science, Policy and Law Conference. The conference was organized by the Jon Van Dyke Institute (JVDI) and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, and the theme was Te Ara Moana, or “ocean pathway.” The meeting encompassed a range of sessions dedicated to blue pathways to island sustainability. It also served as the inaugural meeting of the Pacific Islands Marine Stations Association (PIMSA), created by JVDI to provide a vehicle for collaboration on ocean science and data, to disseminate information about funding and research opportunities, and to elevate young scholars and researchers. Read More
Announcing Pacific RISA’s Latest Annual Report
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Posted on September 29, 2023 by Laura Brewington
Covering all of our accomplishments from June 2022 to May 2023, this year’s Annual Report demonstrates through research, engagement, and impact how we continue to be a leading and trusted program for island climate adaptation solutions. It is also our first Annual Report that reflects our new program name! Read More
Understanding the Maui Fires
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Posted on August 17, 2023 by pacrisa
Understanding the Maui Fires: Resources
Our hearts go out to our families, friends, colleagues, and all those affected by the devastating fires on Maui. As this tragedy continues to unfold, the Pacific RISA team is committed to supporting communities experiencing loss.
For anyone looking for a way to help, there are many ways to support Maui families through donation and mutual aid. Here are a few ways to donate or offer assistance: Read More
Natural Capital-Informed Decision Making on Kauai
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Posted on July 28, 2023 by pacrisa
In May of 2023, as part of the Pacific RISA project to use natural capital-informed decision making to guide ecosystem-based climate (EBA) adaptation, PI Dr. Kirsten Oleson led her team on a scoping trip to the island of Kauaʻi. This trip kicked off the effort to develop and strengthen partnerships with the County of Kauaʻi Planning Department, and to forge connections with local community groups. Along with University of Hawaiʻi MS students Michelle Harangody, Ann Nyambega (NREM) and Brian Gorberg (Dept. of Earth Sciences), PI Oleson sought to gauge community groups’ interest in co-producing knowledge about the outcomes of their ecosystem-based adaptation projects. While on Kauaʻi, the team met with County adaptation planning officials, agricultural extension agents and community leaders, attended a climate adaptation public meeting for the community of Līhuʻe, and worked alongside fishpond restoration groups to gain first-hand knowledge to inform the project. Read More
Pacific Research on Island Solutions for Adaptation
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Posted on May 25, 2023 by Laura Brewington
The Pacific RISA is excited to announce our new program name!
Why make a change?
Fifteen years ago, we adopted NOAA’s national program moniker “Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments” into our name to clearly demonstrate our relationship with the NOAA RISA network. In 2022, however, NOAA selected a new program name and all of the former RISA teams are now collectively known as “NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships“. This gave us an opportunity to consider whether to keep our current program name or explore other options. Read More
Rediscovering Island Abundance at the 2023 Guam Conference on Island Sustainability
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Posted on April 30, 2023 by Laura Brewington
What does “Island Sustainability” look like? Is it workforce training to remove harmful invasive plants from forests and ensure abundant freshwater supplies? Is it promoting a circular economic model that collects discarded waste products and converts them into small business opportunities? Is it summer camp opportunities for youth to learn how to protect marine and terrestrial life by keeping rubbish out of the oceans?
At the 14th annual University of Guam Conference on Island Sustainability this April, it was all of the above and much, much more. Read More
Pacific RISA Announces New Advisory Committee
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Posted on March 31, 2023 by pacrisa
Pacific RISA, a NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnership (CAP) Welcomes New Members to Advisory Committee
Honolulu, Hawaii – Pacific RISA is thrilled to announce the appointment of nine new members to its Advisory Committee for Phase IV of its 5-year grant cycle, Building Equitable and Just Climate Solutions for Pacific Island Resilience to Compound Disasters and Extreme Events. The new members, who will serve through Fall 2026, are Kelley Anderson Tagarino, Amanda Ellis, Dr. Kealoha Fox, Matt Gonser, Kaʻāina Hull, Trina Leberer, Malia Nobrega-Olivera, Ruby Pap, and Dr. Dave White. Read More
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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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