Peer-to-Peer Learning Exchange on Climate Resilience Planning in the Hawaiian Islands
Kauaʻi County has already begun preparations for the impacts of climate change on the island’s economy, food systems, and infrastructure through the establishment of high-level climate policies in the Kauaʻi County General Plan, and detailed climate vulnerability assessments for Kauaʻi’s coastal areas and communities in West Kauaʻi. The County is developing an island-wide Climate Adaptation Plan, and the County of Kauaʻi is keen to learn from the experiences of the City & County of Honolulu in developing the Oʻahu Resilience Strategy, as well as the approaches being taken by Maui and Hawaiʻi Counties. Facilitated by PIs Keener and Giambelluca, the County of Kauaʻi’s informal resilience team is participating in a series of exchanges on climate resilience planning between peers in Kauaʻi and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands, to share behind-the-scenes approaches being used for climate adaptation planning, exchange ideas, and strengthen inter-island adaptation learning network.
Through a series of exchanges with other agencies, the County of Kauai will be better positioned to pursue an island-wide resiliency planning process, having had rich discussions on what has worked elsewhere in Hawaiʻi and what might be well suited for Kauaʻi. These exchanges will also strengthen relationships with peers working on climate adaptation planning elsewhere Hawaiʻi and nationally, and help Pacific RISA develop a deeper understanding of the County of Kauaʻi’s climate services needs as they explore the potential for future collaboration.
Since the project’s inception, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami has signed legislation makingKauai one of the first counties in the nation to regulate construction based on the future sea level rise impacts of passive flooding and annual high-wave run up. This legislation is built on knowledge and relationships from the peer-to-peer exchange led by Pacific RISA with the City of Boston in December of 2021, which focused on the development of Boston’s sea level rise zoning overlay district.
Kauaʻi has experienced several major flood events in recent decades. In April 2018, the island experienced a record-breaking rainfall event that caused flash floods, landslides, millions of dollars in damage and destruction to private and public structures and homes, and washed out critical bridges connecting communities on the island’s North Shore (Image via Hawaii Emergency Management Agency).
The entire Hawai‘i and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands region is underserved and underrepresented in terms of investment in research, data availability, and national representation. The Pacific RISA recognizes that there are different levels of inequity and related power dynamics in any region, system, or organization. The County of Kaua‘i represents community stakeholders on a rural island that has experienced multiple devastating extreme rainfall and flood events over the last several years. Futhermore, Kaua‘i is often overlooked for community investment despite being marketed as an elite resort and remote-work destination. Through the Peer-to-Peer Exchange, Pacific RISA PIs are working with dozens of representatives from various Kaua‘i County departments as they engage with underserved communities representing a diversity socioeconomic statuses, races, and ethnicities in development and implementation of their island-wide Climate Adaptation Plan.
Research Team Dr. Victoria Keener, Arizona State University, East-West Center Laura Brewington, Arizona State University, East-West Center Zena Grecni, Arizona State University, East-West Center
Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
Kauaʻi Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Exchange
Peer-to-Peer Learning Exchange on Climate Resilience Planning in the Hawaiian Islands
Kauaʻi County has already begun preparations for the impacts of climate change on the island’s economy, food systems, and infrastructure through the establishment of high-level climate policies in the Kauaʻi County General Plan, and detailed climate vulnerability assessments for Kauaʻi’s coastal areas and communities in West Kauaʻi. The County is developing an island-wide Climate Adaptation Plan, and the County of Kauaʻi is keen to learn from the experiences of the City & County of Honolulu in developing the Oʻahu Resilience Strategy, as well as the approaches being taken by Maui and Hawaiʻi Counties. Facilitated by PIs Keener and Giambelluca, the County of Kauaʻi’s informal resilience team is participating in a series of exchanges on climate resilience planning between peers in Kauaʻi and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands, to share behind-the-scenes approaches being used for climate adaptation planning, exchange ideas, and strengthen inter-island adaptation learning network.
Through a series of exchanges with other agencies, the County of Kauai will be better positioned to pursue an island-wide resiliency planning process, having had rich discussions on what has worked elsewhere in Hawaiʻi and what might be well suited for Kauaʻi. These exchanges will also strengthen relationships with peers working on climate adaptation planning elsewhere Hawaiʻi and nationally, and help Pacific RISA develop a deeper understanding of the County of Kauaʻi’s climate services needs as they explore the potential for future collaboration.
Since the project’s inception, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami has signed legislation making Kauai one of the first counties in the nation to regulate construction based on the future sea level rise impacts of passive flooding and annual high-wave run up. This legislation is built on knowledge and relationships from the peer-to-peer exchange led by Pacific RISA with the City of Boston in December of 2021, which focused on the development of Boston’s sea level rise zoning overlay district.
The entire Hawai‘i and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands region is underserved and underrepresented in terms of investment in research, data availability, and national representation. The Pacific RISA recognizes that there are different levels of inequity and related power dynamics in any region, system, or organization. The County of Kaua‘i represents community stakeholders on a rural island that has experienced multiple devastating extreme rainfall and flood events over the last several years. Futhermore, Kaua‘i is often overlooked for community investment despite being marketed as an elite resort and remote-work destination. Through the Peer-to-Peer Exchange, Pacific RISA PIs are working with dozens of representatives from various Kaua‘i County departments as they engage with underserved communities representing a diversity socioeconomic statuses, races, and ethnicities in development and implementation of their island-wide Climate Adaptation Plan.
Research Team
Dr. Victoria Keener, Arizona State University, East-West Center
Laura Brewington, Arizona State University, East-West Center
Zena Grecni, Arizona State University, East-West Center
Partners
Kauaʻi County Resiliency Team
References
County of Kauaʻi. (2018). Kaua‘i Kākou: Kaua‘i County General Plan (pp. 568). Lihu‘e: County of Kauaʻi.
County of Kauaʻi & University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant. (2014). Kaua‘i Climate Change and Coastal Hazards Assessment. Kauaʻi General Plan Update Technical Study (pp. 123). Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program.
County of Kauaʻi. (2019). West Kauaʻi Community Vulnerability Assessment (pp. 131). Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program.
City and County of Honolulu. 2019. Ola O‘ahu Resilience Strategy (pp. 160). Honolulu: O‘ahu Resilence Office.
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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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