From September 3-11, 2021, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hosted the World Conservation Congress (WCC) in Marseille, France. Held every four years, the WCC is the world’s largest conservation event and environmental decision-making forum, and was previously held in 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, where the East-West Center was a sponsor. At this year’s event, Pacific RISA PIs Laura Brewington and Zena Grecni where honored to lead two sessions on the climate crisis and impacts in the Pacific Islands region. The WCC was opened with an address by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and a series of in-person and virtual panels and presentations by Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige, the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, actor and environmentalist Harrison Ford, photographer Sebastião Salgado, and leaders from government, civil society, indigenous peoples, business, and academia.
“Biodiversity and climate are two sides of the same coin.”
~ Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
Read More
Invasive Species, Climate Change take Center Stage at the World Summit on Island Sustainability
Leave a Comment
Posted on July 26, 2022 by Laura Brewington
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.
Read More
New Report on the Intersection of Climate Change, Health, and Migration
Leave a Comment
Posted on July 11, 2022 by pacrisa
Since 2016, the Pacific RISA has worked with researchers in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Hawaiʻi, and the US Pacific Northwest to study the relationship between climate change and migration, with an emphasis on the health impacts of climate change and how they are related to migration. Our latest publication, “Climate Change, Health, and Migration: Profiles of Resilience and Vulnerability in the Marshall Islands“ led by Pacific RISA PI Laura Brewington and East-West Center consultant David Krzesni, is now available online through the East-West Center publications website.
Climate change is already having negative impacts in the RMI, include changing sea levels, extreme events like cyclones and typhoons, heat waves, drought, and ocean acidification. Meanwhile, public health is also affected by climate change, in ways that may directly or indirectly influence people’s migration decisions. In this context, this research supported by NOAA’s International Research and Applications Project explored the nexus of climate change, health, and migration in the RMI and provides a better understanding of these relationships to inform research and policy agendas that build resilience and adaptive capacity. Read More
2022 Our Ocean Palau Conference
Leave a Comment
Posted on May 10, 2022 by pacrisa
Pacific RISA Project Specialist Paula Moehlenkamp recently attended the Our Ocean conference in Palau, where she represented the collaboration between Pacific RISA and the Local2030 Islands Network. Hosted by the Government of the Republic of Palau and the United States, the conference sought to draw international attention to the serious threats facing the world’s oceans and to gain commitments to concrete action around the globe to support marine conservation and climate resilience. Under the theme “Our Ocean, Our People, Our Prosperity,” and headlined by special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr., the 2022 Our Ocean Conference focused on two cross-cutting issues: the ocean-climate nexus, and the importance of a healthy ocean to small island developing states and all communities where the ocean serves as a primary source of sustenance. As the first small island developing state to host the Our Ocean Conference, Palau highlighted the specific challenges that islands face due to the ocean-climate crisis. Read More
Caring for Hawaii’s Coral Reefs
1 Comment
Posted on March 25, 2022 by pacrisa
Coral reefs in Hawai’i are home to a spectacular biodiversity of plant and animal species (many endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago), support a deep-rooted culture of subsistence fishing, provide coastal protection, and are central to tourism and recreational activities.
Climate stressors on coral reefs include sustained high sea surface temperature (SST) leading to coral bleaching, more intense, damaging storms, sea level rise and sedimentation impacts, and the potential to alter ocean currents and increase ocean acidification. Climate stressors on coral reefs in Hawai’i are exacerbated by coastal pollution (runoff, spills, etc), fishing, impacts from tourism and vessel traffic. This combination of stressors also makes them more vulnerable to coral disease, loss of genetic diversity, and decreases their resilience to future impacts. Read More
The Pacific RISA 2021 Annual Report
Leave a Comment
Posted on November 3, 2021 by pacrisa
The Pacific Research on Island Solutions for Adaptation (Pacific RISA) program supports Pacific island and coastal communities in adapting to the impacts of climate variability and change. The newly released Pacific RISA Annual Report covers the final year of the grant cycle, titled “Supporting Integrated Decision Making Under Climatic Variability and Change in Hawai‘i and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands,” from June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021. Read More
The RISA Sustained Assessment Specialist Network
Leave a Comment
Posted on October 27, 2021 by pacrisa
Introducing a new resource on the NOAA RISA Sustained Assessment Specialist network! This 2-page, quick reference sheet provides information about sustained assessment and the current and recent specialists that serve RISA regions.
The RISA Sustained Assessment Specialist Network promotes cross-regional collaboration, leverages expertise, and promotes learning and equitable solutions within the adaptation community. The network advances a shared vision for sustained assessment. Read More
New Resource: The 2021 Pacific Islands Climate Storybook
Leave a Comment
Posted on October 22, 2021 by pacrisa
The new Pacific Islands Climate Storybook details community experiences in addressing the impacts of a changing climate in Pacific Island countries. Originally published in 2015, the Storybook was made possible through the extraordinary efforts of numerous government agencies and non-government organizations throughout the Pacific Islands region. The 2021 update to the Storybook reflects additional case studies and experiential knowledge, as well as scientific data. With emphasis on the vital need for climate early warning, the stories highlight the use of or need for climate services to increase community resilience to a changing climate. Read More
The IUCN World Conservation Congress: Resilience is in Our Nature
Leave a Comment
Posted on September 21, 2021 by pacrisa
From September 3-11, 2021, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hosted the World Conservation Congress (WCC) in Marseille, France. Held every four years, the WCC is the world’s largest conservation event and environmental decision-making forum, and was previously held in 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, where the East-West Center was a sponsor. At this year’s event, Pacific RISA PIs Laura Brewington and Zena Grecni where honored to lead two sessions on the climate crisis and impacts in the Pacific Islands region. The WCC was opened with an address by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and a series of in-person and virtual panels and presentations by Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige, the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, actor and environmentalist Harrison Ford, photographer Sebastião Salgado, and leaders from government, civil society, indigenous peoples, business, and academia.
Read More
Our Vision
Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
Tag Cloud
Follow Pacific RISA
Subscribe to our mailing list
Archives
Links