Two of Hawaiʻi’s critically endangered birds, the ʻAkikiki and the Kiwikiu, are at risk of extinction within the next four years due to the twin threats of climate change and avian malaria carried by an invasive species. Credit: Birds Not Mosquitos

What does this have to do with climate change, you might ask? The invasive southern house mosquito, introduced to Hawaiʻi hundreds of years ago, cannot reproduce in cooler temperatures like the upper elevation forests of the Hawaiian islands. But as the climate has warmed in recent decades, they have been able to persist at higher and higher locations, which puts the native forest birds at risk of extinction from avian malaria that is carried by these mosquitos. Scientists estimate that without drastic action, some of these birds will go extinct within a few years.

Before making this momentous decision, the Board heard over three hours of testimony from citizens, scientists, school children, and natural resource managers–the overwhelming majority of which was in support of the mosquito suppression program. Often emotional, many offered testimony in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi with stories of their relationships to the native manu (forest birds). The Pacific RISA and members of the Pacific Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change management network testified that given the dire projections for continued temperature increases in the islands, the only way to protect the birds from avian malaria is to eliminate the vector (mosquito) that carries it.

Learn more about the research behind the mosquito suppression program, or take an opportunity to explore information about these endangered birds and the public outreach materials for the program. The full hearing before the Board can be viewed here – testimony begins at approximately minute 23.

I Ola Nā Manu Nahele  –  So The Forest Birds Thrive.

Featured image: Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project

islands make up just 6% of the world’s total land area but are hotspots of biodiversity. They are also epicenters of biodiversity loss. Over 60% of species extinctions have occurred in islands and of those, more than 80% were caused by invasive species. In addition to reducing biodiversity invasive species also cause habitat loss, which changes the ecosystem services that islands provide such as food, water, recreation opportunities, and cultural practices. Invasive species also impact infrastructure, trade, food prices, jobs, and human health.

Adding to these impacts, islands are already experiencing the negative impacts of climate change. Research has shown that Pacific Island ecosystems and communities are particularly vulnerable to climate-induced threats: sea level rise and flooding are detrimental to freshwater resources, while declines to coral and reef structure, along with ocean temperature increases and acidification, cause marine and fisheries losses. Meanwhile, damage to land and water systems jeopardizes agricultural and subsistence activities, resulting in lost food security.

The effects of climate change are projected to become “catastrophic” for Pacific Islands should global heating exceed the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Natural resource managers in the region need new solutions to respond to these compound threats, so the Pacific Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (RISCC) network was created in 2020. Dr. Brewington demonstrated how, as a manager-researcher collaborative, the Pacific RISCC serves diverse science generation and communication needs in the region. On the Island of Maui, for example, water managers are able to prioritize conservation efforts and protect future freshwater sustainability under an uncertain future climate, using results from research that was co-developed with them at relevant scales. Pacific RISCC researchers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are studying vegetation changes and recovery times from typhoon events between native and invasive forests, which will help them understand if post-typhoon food security is affecting the sustainability of endemic bird populations.

As the Pacific RISCC network continues to expand and evolve, it will become a trusted source for regional information, data, and tools while accelerating sustainability solutions in a region that is uniquely vulnerable to these threats.

Islands are “model systems” for sustainability

There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about” Margaret J. Wheatley

Beyond the twin issues of invasive species and climate change, Summit attendees expressed an undeniable consensus that islands are leading when it comes to sustainability solutions. Dr. Austin Shelton, Director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, described how the US Territory of Guam rediscovered its commitments to sustainability through the Guam Green Growth partnership and initiatives to promote a circular economy, with new community-focused employment opportunities that are dedicated to preserving the island’s natural and cultural heritage.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the Galapagos tourism economy that the islands’ residents depend on, the Galapagos Barcode Project created jobs in research and training—which also served to engage and empower local people in science, build skills, and create a more resilient island community.

And as the world emerges from the pandemic, lessons from islands and the expansion of networks like the UN Local2030 Islands Network are helping to advance sustainability solutions globally. At the close of the Summit, Dr. Neil Davies, Director of Gump South Pacific Research Station in Moorea, French Polynesia, reminded participants that the idea that we can be independent is false, and being sustainable involves “imagining a better future together”.

Islands have long been used as model systems in the study of ecology and evolution, but they are also important models for sustainability as we confront wicked problems like climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality. Dr. Brewington and other featured speakers at this year’s Summit will be authoring several chapters in a forthcoming Springer volume on Island Sustainability, to be published in early 2023, so please stay tuned and contact us for more information!

Featured image photo credit: Laura Brewington

“In this assessment of the state of the Pacific environment and conservation using endorsed regional indicators, we seek to lay the groundwork for sustained monitoring that supports action and measures Pacific success as well as our shortfalls in achieving environmentally sustainable development.”

This report is the first of its kind with coverage for the entire Pacific region, and it uses regional environment indicators to assess the status, trends, and data quality and availability for the endorsed Pacific environmental priorities. It also includes an update of the State of Conservation in Oceania report produced in 2013, which was endorsed and published in 2017. Viewers can use the interactive report website to navigate through the thematic sections of the report, which include up-to-date snapshots on land and marine resources protection, biodiversity, climate change, and the built environment. Scorecards and trends evaluate and present the level to which the region was meeting, exceeding, or failing to meet the state of the environment indicators.

During a virtual panel hosted by SPREP in April, 2021, island leaders said they were excited to use the report and its resources because it gives them a way to track their country’s progress toward meeting environment and conservation goals. By comparing achievements through time, and with their neighbors, they can set better targets for the future and set policies in motion to ensure that they meet them. Under the resources page, users can download a media kit with factsheets, interactive GIFs, and charts and graphs that are included in the report. Individual country reports are also available on this page, along with core data resources and monitoring tools for the region and worldwide.

Explore SPREP’s excellent resource today.

Featured image: Conducting forest research in Papua New Guinea as part of a carbon credit program. Credit: UN REDD.