The dual threats of invasive species and climate change dominated the stage at the World Summit on Island Sustainability in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador this June, where over 150 island leaders and experts gathered at the Galapagos Science Center to share research and ideas, as well as their visions of a sustainable future for islands worldwide. Pacific RISA co-lead PI Dr. Brewington was invited as a featured speaker to share some of the bright spots, and challenges, surrounding these issues from Pacific Islands.

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