+3.2ft: Sea Level Rise in Hawaiʻi
The preservation of Hawaiʻi’s shorelines is not only critical to protect the countless flora and fauna living there, but also to protect our way of life. The science is clear that one of the impacts of warming global temperatures is sea level rise. The negative impacts to low-lying coastal areas include loss of critical habitat, economic loss, displacement of residents. Most people rely on coastal resources for food subsistence, homes and businesses, traditional practices, and leisure/aesthetics. Based on the magnitude and rate of sea level rise, we as a community must act now to not only mitigate the long-term effects of climate change, but also to adapt to the impacts we will continue to see through the rest of this century and beyond.In 2017, the new Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission issued the first statewide assessment of sea level rise. You can read the report in all its entirety here. Here are some brief takeaways:
Sea levels could rise in Hawaiʻi more than 3.2 feet by mid-century. See what 3.2 feet looks like in your community here.
Why does this matter?
- If greenhouse gas emissions stopped today, the sea level would still rise, so preparations must me made now, even as we mitigate climate change
- At minimum, 3.2 ft of sea level rise would:
- Displace 20,0000 residents,- Impact 35 miles of road,- Inundate 2,000 sewage disposal systems,- Affect 550 cultural sites, and- Compromise 6,500 structures - like hotels, shopping malls, and small businesses
How you can help
- Tell your policy makers to:
- Prohibit any new building of residential, commercial, and government infrastructure in zones vulnerable to sea level rise- Take actions to expand our beaches and protect our coral reefs, like not building new sea walls, protecting sand dunes and native ecosystems, and funding projects that rebuild coral reefs- Improve insurance policies that will encourage rebuilding of residence outside of inundation zones upon direct impacts of sea level rise