Climate justice and racial justice are inexorably linked. In the United States and globally, the burden of environmental risks and climate impacts have fallen disproportionately on Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. Ignoring past and present racial inequalities contributes to worsening existing climate-related problems and fails on a moral level. To fully address climate change and its impacts requires examining racial disparities (in health outcomes and economic well-being, for example) and using that understanding to craft solutions that promote the fair and equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race. Pacific RISA is committed to helping create a safe, just, and equitable climate future for Pacific Islanders, and we stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues and communities of color. We join other scientific organizations in condemning racism and challenging systemic racial injustice. Find our statement in solidarity here.
We will continue to update this page with resources relevant to the links between climate and environmental issues and racial justice, and we will do our part to create a culture of inclusivity and equity in Pacific RISA and the climate research world.
Image created and used with permission by Hawaii-based Pasifika artist Shar Tuiasoa (@punkyaloha)
We at the Pacific RISA condemn systemic and institutional racism and stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues and communities of color as they confront acts of violence that continue to occur in the United States. We join other organizations in challenging systemic racial injustice and demanding accountability from law enforcement. Together we must refocus our resources to increase access to healthcare, education, and economic well-being for Black communities. At this time, we encourage communities of science and climate practice to reflect on the ways in which we have upheld oppressive systems and commit to dismantling them in our own institutions.
The Pacific RISA has partnered with the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to form a working group on climate change and invasive species in Hawaii. The working group aims to address the intersection between these two threats to island sustainability, food security, and economic prosperity, by improving the availability and use of climate information resources by managers. During December and January, around 60 natural resource managers in Hawaii responded to a survey designed by the working group to better understand the priorities of invasive species management in the context of climate change. Results showed that managers are well informed about climate change impacts on invasive species, but they lack access to appropriate tools to improve management practices and efficiency.
On May 5, the working group coordinated an online workshopthat was attended by over 100 managers and researchers who wanted to learn more about the survey results and help identify next steps for coordinated research and product development. Laura Brewington from the Pacific RISA presented the survey results, followed by an expert panel discussion with invasive species specialists who helped answer participants’ questions about the limitations and availability of existing climate information products for natural resource applications. Toni Lyn Morelli, a USGS research ecologist with the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, then described their processes for establishing a Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change network, and the remainder of the discussion centered around next steps for creating such a network for invasive species managers and climate change researchers in Hawaii and the Pacific.
Taro field in Hawaii. Food security and cultural traditions in the Pacific are likely to suffer from the dual impacts of invasive species and climate change. Source: Upsplash.
Attendees participating in the “Where Do We Go Next” discussion segment of the workshop demonstrated unanimous support for the development of a climate change and invasive species network. The top three hopes for what such a network could achieve were: 1) Improved communication between researchers/managers/landowners; 2) Better sharing of and access to resources in a centralized location; and 3) Better alignment of research with management goals. For next steps, the majority of participants suggested: 1) Collecting information and data resources into a centralized platform for access and communication; and 2) Prioritizing gaps and setting research priority areas. The working group will develop a formal listserv to share information, updates, and announcements, and establish a webinar series beginning this summer focused on the nexus between climate change and invasive species. We will continue to identify pathways to build this network and make it a success, based on the input from the workshop. Watch the recording of the workshop here.
Featured image of an empty Waikiki Beach by local photographer Tommy Pierucki (@tommypierucki)
The Pacific RISA team continues to work remotely, and team members can best be reached by email (see contacts listed HERE). We continue to collaborate with our partners in Hawai’i and the USAPI to provide locally relevant climate information, manage climate risks, build resilience, and facilitate adaptation to a changing climate throughout the Pacific. Read More
Nearly Seven in Ten Hawai’i Residents Think Fossil Fuel Companies Should Pay For Global Warming Damages, According to New Poll
Hawaii Support for Fossil Fuel Company Climate Change Responsibility Ranked Highest Among U.S. States
WASHINGTON (June 19, 2019)— Ahead of next week’s U.S. mayors’ climate change summit in Honolulu, a new survey found that nearly seven in ten adults in Hawai’i think fossil fuel companies should pay for some portion of global warming damages. The nationally representative survey conducted by Yale University’s Program on Climate Change Communications (YPCCC) and supported by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) asked Americans across the country their opinions about responsibility for global warming damages. YPCCC polled 5,131 adults in five waves from November 2018 to January 2019 and used a geographic and statistical model developed by its team of scientists to downscale public opinion results to the state, congressional district and county levels, which are searchable through this interactive map.
In recent years, corals in Hawaii have experienced widespread bleaching and mortality events due to warmer than average ocean temperatures. According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), they will be under continued threat from rising ocean temperatures and ocean acidification as temperatures warm, with annual bleaching events expected by 2040. Coral reefs also face pressures from pollution, disease, coastal development, and vessel accidents/groundings. In Hawaii and across the Pacific, coral reef ecosystems provide jobs and opportunities for recreation, contribute greatly to tourism, support subsistence fishermen and their families, and provide the vitally important function of protecting vulnerable coastlines (NCA4). Disappearing coral reefs mean significant economic losses, as well as damaging ecological and social impacts. Read More
The Pacific Invasives Partnership (PIP) recently held its annual meeting in Brisbane, Australia to discuss opportunities to engage PIP members with Australian and New Zealand biosecurity management teams, and to emphasize how Australian expertise can be better utilized in the Pacific regional context. Pacific RISA researcher Dr. Laura Brewington represents the East-West Center as a PIP member and she highlighted US efforts to improve collaborations on native and invasive species research, especially in the context of new climate change information and projections. She also discussed key messages on biosecurity from the 4th US National Climate Assessment chapter on Hawaii and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands, which, in conjunction with the ongoing Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment process provide excellent tools for researchers and managers throughout the islands. Read More
Strained freshwater supplies, damaged coastal infrastructure, coral reef death, and greater stresses on biodiversity and native species were among the major concerns and challenges detailed in the Hawai‘i-Pacific Islands chapter of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). In economic terms, the impacts add up to billions of dollars. The assessment found that early action to address these impacts can lower economic, environmental, social, and cultural costs and could help to prevent displacement from lands and resources. Read More
Resilient and sustainable Pacific Island communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making about climate variability and change.
Climate and Social Justice: Resources
Leave a Comment
Posted on June 2, 2020 by pacrisa
Climate justice and racial justice are inexorably linked. In the United States and globally, the burden of environmental risks and climate impacts have fallen disproportionately on Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. Ignoring past and present racial inequalities contributes to worsening existing climate-related problems and fails on a moral level. To fully address climate change and its impacts requires examining racial disparities (in health outcomes and economic well-being, for example) and using that understanding to craft solutions that promote the fair and equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race. Pacific RISA is committed to helping create a safe, just, and equitable climate future for Pacific Islanders, and we stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues and communities of color. We join other scientific organizations in condemning racism and challenging systemic racial injustice. Find our statement in solidarity here.
We will continue to update this page with resources relevant to the links between climate and environmental issues and racial justice, and we will do our part to create a culture of inclusivity and equity in Pacific RISA and the climate research world.
Read More
Pacific RISA Stands with Black Communities
2 Comments
Posted on June 2, 2020 by pacrisa
We at the Pacific RISA condemn systemic and institutional racism and stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues and communities of color as they confront acts of violence that continue to occur in the United States. We join other organizations in challenging systemic racial injustice and demanding accountability from law enforcement. Together we must refocus our resources to increase access to healthcare, education, and economic well-being for Black communities. At this time, we encourage communities of science and climate practice to reflect on the ways in which we have upheld oppressive systems and commit to dismantling them in our own institutions.
Read More
When Climate Change and Invasive Species Interact
Leave a Comment
Posted on May 18, 2020 by pacrisa
The Pacific RISA has partnered with the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to form a working group on climate change and invasive species in Hawaii. The working group aims to address the intersection between these two threats to island sustainability, food security, and economic prosperity, by improving the availability and use of climate information resources by managers. During December and January, around 60 natural resource managers in Hawaii responded to a survey designed by the working group to better understand the priorities of invasive species management in the context of climate change. Results showed that managers are well informed about climate change impacts on invasive species, but they lack access to appropriate tools to improve management practices and efficiency.
On May 5, the working group coordinated an online workshop that was attended by over 100 managers and researchers who wanted to learn more about the survey results and help identify next steps for coordinated research and product development. Laura Brewington from the Pacific RISA presented the survey results, followed by an expert panel discussion with invasive species specialists who helped answer participants’ questions about the limitations and availability of existing climate information products for natural resource applications. Toni Lyn Morelli, a USGS research ecologist with the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, then described their processes for establishing a Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change network, and the remainder of the discussion centered around next steps for creating such a network for invasive species managers and climate change researchers in Hawaii and the Pacific.
Attendees participating in the “Where Do We Go Next” discussion segment of the workshop demonstrated unanimous support for the development of a climate change and invasive species network. The top three hopes for what such a network could achieve were: 1) Improved communication between researchers/managers/landowners; 2) Better sharing of and access to resources in a centralized location; and 3) Better alignment of research with management goals. For next steps, the majority of participants suggested: 1) Collecting information and data resources into a centralized platform for access and communication; and 2) Prioritizing gaps and setting research priority areas. The working group will develop a formal listserv to share information, updates, and announcements, and establish a webinar series beginning this summer focused on the nexus between climate change and invasive species. We will continue to identify pathways to build this network and make it a success, based on the input from the workshop. Watch the recording of the workshop here.
Featured image credit: the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project.
Climate and Coronavirus Resources
Leave a Comment
Posted on April 10, 2020 by pacrisa
Featured image of an empty Waikiki Beach by local photographer Tommy Pierucki (@tommypierucki)
The Pacific RISA team continues to work remotely, and team members can best be reached by email (see contacts listed HERE). We continue to collaborate with our partners in Hawai’i and the USAPI to provide locally relevant climate information, manage climate risks, build resilience, and facilitate adaptation to a changing climate throughout the Pacific. Read More
Hawaii Support for Fossil Fuel Company Climate Change Responsibility Ranked Highest Among U.S. States
Leave a Comment
Posted on June 19, 2019 by pacrisa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ja-Rei Wang, jwang@ucsusa.org, 202-331-6943
Nearly Seven in Ten Hawai’i Residents Think Fossil Fuel Companies Should Pay For Global Warming Damages, According to New Poll
Hawaii Support for Fossil Fuel Company Climate Change Responsibility Ranked Highest Among U.S. States
WASHINGTON (June 19, 2019)— Ahead of next week’s U.S. mayors’ climate change summit in Honolulu, a new survey found that nearly seven in ten adults in Hawai’i think fossil fuel companies should pay for some portion of global warming damages. The nationally representative survey conducted by Yale University’s Program on Climate Change Communications (YPCCC) and supported by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) asked Americans across the country their opinions about responsibility for global warming damages. YPCCC polled 5,131 adults in five waves from November 2018 to January 2019 and used a geographic and statistical model developed by its team of scientists to downscale public opinion results to the state, congressional district and county levels, which are searchable through this interactive map.
Read More
Hawaii’s Coral Restoration Nursery
Leave a Comment
Posted on May 15, 2019 by pacrisa
In recent years, corals in Hawaii have experienced widespread bleaching and mortality events due to warmer than average ocean temperatures. According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), they will be under continued threat from rising ocean temperatures and ocean acidification as temperatures warm, with annual bleaching events expected by 2040. Coral reefs also face pressures from pollution, disease, coastal development, and vessel accidents/groundings. In Hawaii and across the Pacific, coral reef ecosystems provide jobs and opportunities for recreation, contribute greatly to tourism, support subsistence fishermen and their families, and provide the vitally important function of protecting vulnerable coastlines (NCA4). Disappearing coral reefs mean significant economic losses, as well as damaging ecological and social impacts. Read More
Biosecurity and Invasive Species Management in the Pacific
Leave a Comment
Posted on March 18, 2019 by Laura Brewington
The Pacific Invasives Partnership (PIP) recently held its annual meeting in Brisbane, Australia to discuss opportunities to engage PIP members with Australian and New Zealand biosecurity management teams, and to emphasize how Australian expertise can be better utilized in the Pacific regional context. Pacific RISA researcher Dr. Laura Brewington represents the East-West Center as a PIP member and she highlighted US efforts to improve collaborations on native and invasive species research, especially in the context of new climate change information and projections. She also discussed key messages on biosecurity from the 4th US National Climate Assessment chapter on Hawaii and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands, which, in conjunction with the ongoing Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment process provide excellent tools for researchers and managers throughout the islands. Read More
National Climate Assessment Imparts a Sense of Urgency for Sea Level Rise Adaptation
Leave a Comment
Posted on March 1, 2019 by pacrisa
Strained freshwater supplies, damaged coastal infrastructure, coral reef death, and greater stresses on biodiversity and native species were among the major concerns and challenges detailed in the Hawai‘i-Pacific Islands chapter of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). In economic terms, the impacts add up to billions of dollars. The assessment found that early action to address these impacts can lower economic, environmental, social, and cultural costs and could help to prevent displacement from lands and resources. 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