The Pacific RISA Phase 3 Year Four Newsletter (2018-2019) In Year Four, Pacific RISA continued to be a trusted source of climate information for planners, decision makers, and stakeholders in Hawai‘i and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI), and to support the effective utilization of climate science to manage the impacts of the changing climate across diverse sectors in the Pacific Islands region. Projects during this grant phase aimed to assess the impact of climate variability and change throughout Hawai‘i and the USAPI. The Pacific RISA team linked mid-range projections with end-of-century downscaled projections; conducted inclusive, place-based science to identify decision thresholds; and helped decision-makers assign value to resources to evaluate and select adaptation strategies. This grant designates sustained support for communities and research in Hawai‘i, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Republic of Palau, and American Sāmoa.

The Pacific RISA Phase 3 Years One & Two Newsletter (2016-2017) Pacific RISA completed the first two years of Phase 3 projects and research. Pacific RISA continues to conduct interdisciplinary and co-produced climate research that links natural resource managers and decision makers with researchers to produce decision-relevant science. Phase 3 projects aim to assess the impact of predicted climate variability and change throughout Hawai‘i and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, link and communicate mid-range projections with end-of-century downscaled projections, conduct stakeholder inclusive, place-based science to establish sector-relevant decision thresholds, and help decision-makers assign different kinds of value to resources across sectors and islands to facilitate choosing adaptation strategies.

The Pacific RISA Year 4 Newsletter (2013 – 2014) The Pacific RISA continues to extend its interdisciplinary multi stakeholder research and outreach to support the understanding of and responses to climate variability and change impacts in Pacific Island communities.  Some of the key highlights include using the 2012 Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) as a convening document research and outreach activities. PIRCA workshops facilitated a knowledge exchange with many groups, including the Hawai‘i Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM), regarding the adaptive management of freshwater resources. The Pacific RISA team members have contributed to workshops with water resource managers in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and American Sāmoa on resilience to drought and climate variability due to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. Some of the exciting highlights also include work in American Sāmoa in laying the foundation for assessing the value of multiple legal and policy tools aimed at supporting climate adaptation planning.

The Pacific RISA Year 3 Newsletter (2012 – 2013) highlights another successful year for Pacific RISA furthering its interdisciplinary research and supporting communities to be able to best prepare for future climate conditions. Major activities include climate modeling, hydrological, and policy-related research; social network analysis of climate professionals in the region; new initiatives and collaborations; key presentations and meetings attended; year 3 new hires and publication highlights.

The Pacific RISA Year 2 Newsletter (2011-2012) highlights Pacific RISA’s second successful year conducting interdisciplinary research and helping communities to understand, plan for, and respond to a changing climate. Major activities include, for example: the 2012 Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA); climate modeling, hydrological, and policy-related research; the Climate Matters “Documoments” series; outreach workshops; and key presentations and publications.

The Pacific RISA Year 1 Newsletter (2010-2011) reflects remarkable growth in this first year of Phase II of our program of research, assessment, and outreach activities. In the Year 1 newsletter we highlight progress on climate modeling research, hydrological research, and policy-related research; explain our role in the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) process; describe our outreach activities; and catalog key presentations and publications.