What can the rest of the Pacific learn from participatory approaches to applied conservation research in the Galapagos Islands?
Dr. Laura Brewington, Postdoctoral Researcher with the Center for Galapagos Studies at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, will be visiting the East-West Center next week to present a lecture about integrated human-environment studies and environmental change in the Galapagos Islands.
Besides the obvious island connection, Pacific RISA is interested to learn from Dr. Brewington’s work for several reasons. In particular, she will present approaches to research spanning geographic and temporal scales that could potentially inform Pacific RISA’s methods for research across the Pacific Islands region. We are equally interested to hear about her experience implementing a bottom-up approach to stakeholder engagement and participation used in a study of invasive species management in an agricultural zone and a surrounding protected area in the Galapagos; and, how her team has raised community awareness about the invasive species risks associated with goods imported to the islands, an issue Hawai‘i and other Pacific Islands have struggled with for centuries.
Also potentially instructive is Dr. Brewington’s most recent work, which takes a local-to-global perspective on shoreline vulnerability to climate change and other human disturbances throughout the Galapagos archipelago. She asserts that in the Galapagos Islands, as well as other similar settings worldwide, data gathering and monitoring are needed at multiple scales to understand the processes that cross disciplinary boundaries, especially between nature and society.
Join us for this informative lecture!
Where: John A. Burns Hall, Room 3012, East-West Center, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Pacific RISA presents the latest on Pacific Islands drought at National Forum
The2013 United States Drought Monitor Forum will be held April 16 – 18 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Pacific RISA Research Fellow, Dr. Kati Corlew, and LT Charlene Felkley, Outreach Officer at the Pacific ENSO Applications (PEAC) Centerwill attend the forum and share information and updates on the status of drought issues in the Pacific Islands.
In addition to providing an opportunity for state and regional drought monitoring groups to come together and examine locally-relevant issues, the forum serves as an international meeting place to compare drought impacts and monitoring efforts. Participants review the latest data on how drought is impacting important sectors, such as agriculture, energy, fisheries, and tourism, and they trade tools and techniques that help improve their outreach to vulnerable communities.
One focal point for the forum is the U.S. Drought Monitor, an interactive map that contains weekly information on the status of drought across all regions of the United States. Data for the map is sourced from a group of 250 climatologists, extension agents, and others across the nation. Each week, the previous map is updated with observers’ reports of changing conditions (rain, snow, etc.) and how drought is affecting crops, wildlife and other indicators. The new map is released every Thursday morning.
This year’s forum is hosted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and the South Florida Water Management District.
The current US Drought Monitor Map, showing extreme to exceptional drought over much of the western continental US. Click on image to visit the interactive map.
Upcoming forum on water resources and climate change in Hawai‘i
Hawaiian Islands Science (HI Sci) will host a forum titled “Water Resources and Climate Change in Hawai‘i” at 5:30 PM this Thursday, March 21, 2013 at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, 2645 Dole Street, Room 101.
“Together, we ask what climate change might mean for our islands’ water resources and communities. Invited speakers include educator Kahale Saito, mahi‘ai kalo (taro farmer) Charles Reppun, Kamehameha Schools land manager Kaeo Duarte, and UH researcher Tom Giambelluca. We have also invited representatives from UH’s Ka Huli Ao program, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and the State Water Commission to share briefly on their areas of expertise. Following the speaker presentations, we will hold an open fishbowl discussion where Cafe participants are invited to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage in conversation with the speakers and each other. We welcome your families, friends, and colleagues to join us on the 21st! For updates, follow our Facebook event.”
Refreshments, including ‘awa, will be served during the event. Street parking is available on Dole St. and at the Hawaiian Studies parking structure, at $6.00 per vehicle.
The event’s organizers ask that participants familiarize themselves with the “fishbowl” discussion methods beforehand. (A quick tutorial is available at http://www.kstoolkit.org/Fish+Bowl.) They also suggest reading up on climate change on our PIRCA page.
Schedule for Water Resources and Climate Change in Hawai‘i Forum:
5:00 PM- 5:30 PM: Pupu and ‘awa open
5:30 PM: Opening Pule
6:20 PM: Presentations wrap up
6:20-6:30 PM: Break
6:30 PM: Open Forum/ Fishbowl begins
7:20 PM: Open Forum/ Fishbowl Closed
7:30 PM: Closing Pule
7:30 PM- 7:45PM: Last ‘apu**
8:00 PM: Pau
Hawaiian Islands Science (HI Sci) is a University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Native Hawaiian graduate student-driven initiative. They raise awareness and conversation between Native Hawaiians, the UHM student body, members of the Hawai‘i science community, and other communities of the Hawaiian Islands.
US Pacific Forces Chief calls climate change the biggest security threat
This week a Boston Globe article reported that the top military official for the Pacific, Navy Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, has named climate change the most dangerous long-term threat to security in the Pacific. The Globe quoted him saying that upheaval related to the world’s changing climate “is probably the most likely thing that is going to happen . . . that will cripple the security environment, probably more likely than the other scenarios we all often talk about.’’
As the leader of United States Pacific Command (PACOM), Admiral Locklear is in charge of monitoring an area encompassing about half of the earth’s surface, from the waters off the west coast of the U.S. to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole. His office monitors high profile security issues such as hostile actions by North Korea and tensions between China and Japan.
Navy Admiral Samuel Locklear III
“You have the real potential here in the not-too-distant future of nations displaced by rising sea level. Certainly weather patterns are more severe than they have been in the past. We are on super typhoon 27 or 28 this year in the Western Pacific. The average is about 17.” Admiral Locklear described the magnitude of the threat facing Pacific Islands, recognizing the likely forced migration of entire populations of Pacific Island nations and the increased vulnerability to seasonal events, including storms and fluctuations in sea-level. He views sea-level rise as a major destabilizing force in the region, noting that 80 percent of the world’s population lives within 200 miles of the coast.
As further evidence that PACOM is taking seriously the threats of climate change, its Hawai‘i-based headquarters is developing strategies to respond. Working with Asian nations, PACOM will stockpile supplies in strategic locations and run a major exercise in May with nearly two dozen countries, to practice responding to various possible scenarios.
Pacific Island documentary: The Hungry Tide screening free online through March 3
Worth watching and sharing this week is the Australian-made film The Hungry Tide, available free online for viewing through March 3. The Hungry Tide chronicles the story of Maria Tiimon, from Kiribati, who advocates for island communities in Australia and in the international policy arena.
As a group of low-lying atolls, Kiribati is extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise, and it may become uninhabitable in the next century. Climate change affects the 105,000 people who live in Kiribati at 2 meters above sea level. This film looks at Maria’s experience as a Pacific Islander speaking on behalf of her community at international climate policy negotiations convened by the United Nations.
Free viewings of the film are offered in conjunction with the Warrior Day of Action—a day when Pacific Islanders from across 15 nations and territories will come together and perform war challenges, songs, and dances to signify that they will fight to protect their land, their existence, and their identity from rising sea levels.
A scene from Kiribati in the documentary The Hungry Tide
New Hawai‘i and Pacific Islands Climate Impacts and Outlook quarterly briefing sheet
The Pacific ENSO Applications Climate (PEAC) Center and the Pacific Climate Information System (PaCIS) have just launched a new resource for decision makers and the public. “Climate Impacts and Outlook for Hawai‘i and the U.S. Pacific Islands Region” is a two-page informational briefing sheet summarizing the major impacts of climate in the region during the past three months and providing an outlook of climate conditions in the next quarter. The two-page summary will be published every three months, coinciding with the release of the PEAC Center’s quarterly Pacific ENSO Update newsletter. The first “Climate Impacts and Outlook for Hawai‘i and the U.S. Pacific Islands Region” briefing sheet is now available on PEAC’s website at http://www.prh.noaa.gov/peac/impacts.php.
Click here to read the “Hawaii and Pacific Islands Climate Impacts and Outlook” for Quarter 1, 2013
Professionals and interested members of the public can quickly obtain information on climate impacts and significant events that occurred over the past three months at various locations across the Pacific, via a concise summary for each island group. For example, the 1st Quarter 2013 briefing sheet reports that the islands of Hawai‘i experienced persistent drought throughout the rainy season, September through December 2012, while strong winds downed banana trees in the Federated States of Micronesia and Super Typhoon Bopha struck the Republic of Palau.
In addition to summarizing impacts, the briefing sheet also reports on various components of regional climate for the previous quarter, including, for example, the ENSO cycle, sea surface temperature, rainfall, drought, and coral bleaching. Finally, an outlook for ENSO, climate, and climate-related impacts, found on the second page, tells readers what to expect in the next three months.
For more information about seasonal forecasts and to sign up to receive the Pacific ENSO Update newsletter and the briefing sheets, please visit the PEAC Center’s website, or email peac@noaa.gov.
The regional fact sheet is collaboratively prepared by the following regional partners:
Dr. Victoria Keener appears on PBS Hawai‘i’s “Insights”
Watch the video here.
President Barak Obama, in his State of the Union address, promised federal action to address climate change. Hawai‘i Governor Neil Abercrombie, in the State of the State address, emphasized the importance of protecting watersheds and preserving island freshwater resources. At a time when leaders are paying attention to climate issues, PBS Hawai‘i’s weekly program “Insights” brought together experts to examine the ramifications of climate change in Hawai‘i from the scientific, environmental, and policy perspectives.
Pacific RISA Program Manager Dr. Victoria Keener was a guest on the February 14 show along with guests Mr. William Aila, Director of the Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources; Mr. Stanton Enomoto, Cultural Adaption Coordinator at the Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative; and Dr. Charles Fletcher, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Geology and Geophysics at UH Manoa.
Dr. Keener is lead editor of the recently released Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment report, a compilation of the current scientific knowledge about climate change impacts in Hawai‘i and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. On last Thursday’s episode of “Insights” she emphasized that climate change is affecting islands today. “We’re already seeing decreased rainfall in a long-term trend across the state of Hawai‘i , and we’re already seeing that affect our ecosystems, especially at the…highest elevations on the mountains where it’s warming the fastest,” Dr. Keener told host Dan Boylan.
When asked about how we can mitigate or adapt to climate change, Dr. Keener explained Pacific RISA’s approach to helping Pacific Island communities by translating scientific and technical knowledge for the public and decision makers. She pointed out that this outreach can help policymakers make informed decisions in adapting to climate change.
The show aired on Thursday, February 14, 2013, and was rebroadcast on Saturday, February 16. Learn more about “Insights” on PBS Hawai‘i on their website.
Hana Hou! article introduces us to rainfall research in Hawai‘i
A fascinating story about Hawai‘i rainfall research appears in the February/March 2013 issue of Hana Hou!—the magazine of Hawaiian Airlines. The article discusses the innovative work of University of Hawai‘i scientist Dr. Tom Giambelluca, who makes scientific knowledge about rainfall and climate available to the public.
As a central feature, the article introduces Dr. Giambelluca’s 2011 Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i. The Rainfall Atlas is notable for its availability online—anyone with internet access can view it and learn about seasonal rain patterns across Hawai‘i. Thus, the Rainfall Atlas is not just for research scientists, but is a tool for everyone to improve their understanding of the climate. At the heart of the atlas is the interactive map, which can display, for instance, satellite imagery, topographic details and landmarks, all overlain with average monthly and annual rainfall statistics.
Trends in rainfall over the last century in Hawai‘i are also discussed in the article. The overall amount of rainfall has decreased in the last century, and climate models suggest Hawai‘i could experience an increase in drought frequency by mid- 21st century, especially in drier leeward areas.
Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
Applied Conservation in the Galapagos
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Posted on April 3, 2013 by pacrisa
What can the rest of the Pacific learn from participatory approaches to applied conservation research in the Galapagos Islands?
Dr. Laura Brewington, Postdoctoral Researcher with the Center for Galapagos Studies at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, will be visiting the East-West Center next week to present a lecture about integrated human-environment studies and environmental change in the Galapagos Islands.
Besides the obvious island connection, Pacific RISA is interested to learn from Dr. Brewington’s work for several reasons. In particular, she will present approaches to research spanning geographic and temporal scales that could potentially inform Pacific RISA’s methods for research across the Pacific Islands region. We are equally interested to hear about her experience implementing a bottom-up approach to stakeholder engagement and participation used in a study of invasive species management in an agricultural zone and a surrounding protected area in the Galapagos; and, how her team has raised community awareness about the invasive species risks associated with goods imported to the islands, an issue Hawai‘i and other Pacific Islands have struggled with for centuries.
Also potentially instructive is Dr. Brewington’s most recent work, which takes a local-to-global perspective on shoreline vulnerability to climate change and other human disturbances throughout the Galapagos archipelago. She asserts that in the Galapagos Islands, as well as other similar settings worldwide, data gathering and monitoring are needed at multiple scales to understand the processes that cross disciplinary boundaries, especially between nature and society.
Join us for this informative lecture!
Where: John A. Burns Hall, Room 3012, East-West Center, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawai‘i
When: Monday, April 8, 2013 – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
For more details, see the event description on the East-West Center’s website: http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events/seminar-geographies-conservation-in-the-galapagos-islands-ecuador
National Drought Forum
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Posted on March 26, 2013 by pacrisa
Pacific RISA presents the latest on Pacific Islands drought at National Forum
The 2013 United States Drought Monitor Forum will be held April 16 – 18 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Pacific RISA Research Fellow, Dr. Kati Corlew, and LT Charlene Felkley, Outreach Officer at the Pacific ENSO Applications (PEAC) Center will attend the forum and share information and updates on the status of drought issues in the Pacific Islands.
In addition to providing an opportunity for state and regional drought monitoring groups to come together and examine locally-relevant issues, the forum serves as an international meeting place to compare drought impacts and monitoring efforts. Participants review the latest data on how drought is impacting important sectors, such as agriculture, energy, fisheries, and tourism, and they trade tools and techniques that help improve their outreach to vulnerable communities.
One focal point for the forum is the U.S. Drought Monitor, an interactive map that contains weekly information on the status of drought across all regions of the United States. Data for the map is sourced from a group of 250 climatologists, extension agents, and others across the nation. Each week, the previous map is updated with observers’ reports of changing conditions (rain, snow, etc.) and how drought is affecting crops, wildlife and other indicators. The new map is released every Thursday morning.
This year’s forum is hosted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and the South Florida Water Management District.
Registration for the United States Drought Monitor Forum is now available online at http://drought.unl.edu/Home/USDMForum/Register2013.aspx.
Upcoming Forum
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Posted on March 19, 2013 by pacrisa
Upcoming forum on water resources and climate change in Hawai‘i
Hawaiian Islands Science (HI Sci) will host a forum titled “Water Resources and Climate Change in Hawai‘i” at 5:30 PM this Thursday, March 21, 2013 at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, 2645 Dole Street, Room 101.
Here is a description of the event from HI Sci’s Facebook Page:
“Together, we ask what climate change might mean for our islands’ water resources and communities. Invited speakers include educator Kahale Saito, mahi‘ai kalo (taro farmer) Charles Reppun, Kamehameha Schools land manager Kaeo Duarte, and UH researcher Tom Giambelluca. We have also invited representatives from UH’s Ka Huli Ao program, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and the State Water Commission to share briefly on their areas of expertise. Following the speaker presentations, we will hold an open fishbowl discussion where Cafe participants are invited to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage in conversation with the speakers and each other. We welcome your families, friends, and colleagues to join us on the 21st! For updates, follow our Facebook event.”
Refreshments, including ‘awa, will be served during the event. Street parking is available on Dole St. and at the Hawaiian Studies parking structure, at $6.00 per vehicle.
The event’s organizers ask that participants familiarize themselves with the “fishbowl” discussion methods beforehand. (A quick tutorial is available at http://www.kstoolkit.org/Fish+Bowl.) They also suggest reading up on climate change on our PIRCA page.
Schedule for Water Resources and Climate Change in Hawai‘i Forum:
5:00 PM- 5:30 PM: Pupu and ‘awa open
5:30 PM: Opening Pule
6:20 PM: Presentations wrap up
6:20-6:30 PM: Break
6:30 PM: Open Forum/ Fishbowl begins
7:20 PM: Open Forum/ Fishbowl Closed
7:30 PM: Closing Pule
7:30 PM- 7:45PM: Last ‘apu**
8:00 PM: Pau
Hawaiian Islands Science (HI Sci) is a University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Native Hawaiian graduate student-driven initiative. They raise awareness and conversation between Native Hawaiians, the UHM student body, members of the Hawai‘i science community, and other communities of the Hawaiian Islands.
Security Threat
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Posted on March 13, 2013 by pacrisa
US Pacific Forces Chief calls climate change the biggest security threat
This week a Boston Globe article reported that the top military official for the Pacific, Navy Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, has named climate change the most dangerous long-term threat to security in the Pacific. The Globe quoted him saying that upheaval related to the world’s changing climate “is probably the most likely thing that is going to happen . . . that will cripple the security environment, probably more likely than the other scenarios we all often talk about.’’
As the leader of United States Pacific Command (PACOM), Admiral Locklear is in charge of monitoring an area encompassing about half of the earth’s surface, from the waters off the west coast of the U.S. to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole. His office monitors high profile security issues such as hostile actions by North Korea and tensions between China and Japan.
“You have the real potential here in the not-too-distant future of nations displaced by rising sea level. Certainly weather patterns are more severe than they have been in the past. We are on super typhoon 27 or 28 this year in the Western Pacific. The average is about 17.” Admiral Locklear described the magnitude of the threat facing Pacific Islands, recognizing the likely forced migration of entire populations of Pacific Island nations and the increased vulnerability to seasonal events, including storms and fluctuations in sea-level. He views sea-level rise as a major destabilizing force in the region, noting that 80 percent of the world’s population lives within 200 miles of the coast.
As further evidence that PACOM is taking seriously the threats of climate change, its Hawai‘i-based headquarters is developing strategies to respond. Working with Asian nations, PACOM will stockpile supplies in strategic locations and run a major exercise in May with nearly two dozen countries, to practice responding to various possible scenarios.
Read the article on The Boston Globe’s website.
Cover photo: Thunderbolt II flying over Hawaii Island during RIMPAC 2012 aerial exercises. Courtesy of PACOM.
The Hungry Tide
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Posted on February 27, 2013 by pacrisa
Pacific Island documentary: The Hungry Tide screening free online through March 3
Worth watching and sharing this week is the Australian-made film The Hungry Tide, available free online for viewing through March 3. The Hungry Tide chronicles the story of Maria Tiimon, from Kiribati, who advocates for island communities in Australia and in the international policy arena.
As a group of low-lying atolls, Kiribati is extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise, and it may become uninhabitable in the next century. Climate change affects the 105,000 people who live in Kiribati at 2 meters above sea level. This film looks at Maria’s experience as a Pacific Islander speaking on behalf of her community at international climate policy negotiations convened by the United Nations.
Free viewings of the film are offered in conjunction with the Warrior Day of Action—a day when Pacific Islanders from across 15 nations and territories will come together and perform war challenges, songs, and dances to signify that they will fight to protect their land, their existence, and their identity from rising sea levels.
Climate Impacts and Outlook
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Posted on February 21, 2013 by pacrisa
New Hawai‘i and Pacific Islands Climate Impacts and Outlook quarterly briefing sheet
The Pacific ENSO Applications Climate (PEAC) Center and the Pacific Climate Information System (PaCIS) have just launched a new resource for decision makers and the public. “Climate Impacts and Outlook for Hawai‘i and the U.S. Pacific Islands Region” is a two-page informational briefing sheet summarizing the major impacts of climate in the region during the past three months and providing an outlook of climate conditions in the next quarter. The two-page summary will be published every three months, coinciding with the release of the PEAC Center’s quarterly Pacific ENSO Update newsletter. The first “Climate Impacts and Outlook for Hawai‘i and the U.S. Pacific Islands Region” briefing sheet is now available on PEAC’s website at http://www.prh.noaa.gov/peac/impacts.php.
Professionals and interested members of the public can quickly obtain information on climate impacts and significant events that occurred over the past three months at various locations across the Pacific, via a concise summary for each island group. For example, the 1st Quarter 2013 briefing sheet reports that the islands of Hawai‘i experienced persistent drought throughout the rainy season, September through December 2012, while strong winds downed banana trees in the Federated States of Micronesia and Super Typhoon Bopha struck the Republic of Palau.
In addition to summarizing impacts, the briefing sheet also reports on various components of regional climate for the previous quarter, including, for example, the ENSO cycle, sea surface temperature, rainfall, drought, and coral bleaching. Finally, an outlook for ENSO, climate, and climate-related impacts, found on the second page, tells readers what to expect in the next three months.
For more information about seasonal forecasts and to sign up to receive the Pacific ENSO Update newsletter and the briefing sheets, please visit the PEAC Center’s website, or email peac@noaa.gov.
The regional fact sheet is collaboratively prepared by the following regional partners:
Pacific Climate Information System (PaCIS)
http://www.pacificcis.org/
Pacific ENSO Applications Climate (PEAC) Center
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/peac/
NOAA NESDIS National Climatic Data Center
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/
NOAA NWS Weather Forecast Office Honolulu
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/pr/hnl/
NOAA NWS Weather Forecast Office Guam
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/pr/guam/
NOAA NMFS Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center
http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/
NOAA OceanWatch – Central Pacific
http://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov/
NOAA Coral Reef Watch
http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/
USGS Pacific Islands Water Science Center
http://hi.water.usgs.gov/
University of Hawaii – Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/jimar/
University of Guam – Water and Environmental Research Institute
http://www.weriguam.org/
Pacific RISA on PBS Hawai‘i
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Posted on February 19, 2013 by pacrisa
Dr. Victoria Keener appears on PBS Hawai‘i’s “Insights”
Watch the video here.
President Barak Obama, in his State of the Union address, promised federal action to address climate change. Hawai‘i Governor Neil Abercrombie, in the State of the State address, emphasized the importance of protecting watersheds and preserving island freshwater resources. At a time when leaders are paying attention to climate issues, PBS Hawai‘i’s weekly program “Insights” brought together experts to examine the ramifications of climate change in Hawai‘i from the scientific, environmental, and policy perspectives.
Pacific RISA Program Manager Dr. Victoria Keener was a guest on the February 14 show along with guests Mr. William Aila, Director of the Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources; Mr. Stanton Enomoto, Cultural Adaption Coordinator at the Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative; and Dr. Charles Fletcher, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Geology and Geophysics at UH Manoa.
Dr. Keener is lead editor of the recently released Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment report, a compilation of the current scientific knowledge about climate change impacts in Hawai‘i and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. On last Thursday’s episode of “Insights” she emphasized that climate change is affecting islands today. “We’re already seeing decreased rainfall in a long-term trend across the state of Hawai‘i , and we’re already seeing that affect our ecosystems, especially at the…highest elevations on the mountains where it’s warming the fastest,” Dr. Keener told host Dan Boylan.
When asked about how we can mitigate or adapt to climate change, Dr. Keener explained Pacific RISA’s approach to helping Pacific Island communities by translating scientific and technical knowledge for the public and decision makers. She pointed out that this outreach can help policymakers make informed decisions in adapting to climate change.
The show aired on Thursday, February 14, 2013, and was rebroadcast on Saturday, February 16. Learn more about “Insights” on PBS Hawai‘i on their website.
Hana Hou! Rainfall in Hawai‘i
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Posted on February 15, 2013 by pacrisa
Hana Hou! article introduces us to rainfall research in Hawai‘i
A fascinating story about Hawai‘i rainfall research appears in the February/March 2013 issue of Hana Hou!—the magazine of Hawaiian Airlines. The article discusses the innovative work of University of Hawai‘i scientist Dr. Tom Giambelluca, who makes scientific knowledge about rainfall and climate available to the public.
As a central feature, the article introduces Dr. Giambelluca’s 2011 Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i. The Rainfall Atlas is notable for its availability online—anyone with internet access can view it and learn about seasonal rain patterns across Hawai‘i. Thus, the Rainfall Atlas is not just for research scientists, but is a tool for everyone to improve their understanding of the climate. At the heart of the atlas is the interactive map, which can display, for instance, satellite imagery, topographic details and landmarks, all overlain with average monthly and annual rainfall statistics.
Trends in rainfall over the last century in Hawai‘i are also discussed in the article. The overall amount of rainfall has decreased in the last century, and climate models suggest Hawai‘i could experience an increase in drought frequency by mid- 21st century, especially in drier leeward areas.
You can read the Hana Hou! article here.
The Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i is available at rainfall.geography.hawaii.edu/.
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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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