#global warming
UH supercomputer study shows coral can’t flee warming, but urgent action can still protect them
Coral reefs are creeping away from the tropics in response to warming oceans, but the pace is too slow to beat the heat and escape impacts of climate change, according to a breakthrough study published June 6 in “Science Advances”.
Living Pono Project receives more than $650,000 for watershed preservation
The Living Pono Project has received more than $650,000 to support the nonprofit’s preservation efforts of the Pu‘u Kukui Watershed, the largest private nature preserve in Hawaiʻi.
The Nature Conservancy unveils expanded insurance policy for Hawai‘i coral reefs
The Nature Conservancy first purchased statewide coral reef insurance in 2022. The new policy doubles the area covered – as well as the minimum payout following a damaging hurricane or tropical storm.
Research: Coral bleaching leads to bacteria growth and further stress on health of reefs
New research led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research shows that, when coral bleaching occurs, corals release unique organic compounds that promote bacterial growth and bacteria that may further stress reefs and put them at greater risk for more damage.
Hawaiian Telcom commits to 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
The target is in alignment with the objectives of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5-degrees Celsius to reduce the risks and effects of climate change.
Microbes may be small but have big impact in climate change, report says
Microbes may be small, but they are highly impactful to environmental and human health amid a changing climate, according to a new report co-authored by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa oceanographer David Karl.
Under SCR44, Hawai‘i Becomes First State to Declare “Climate Emergency”
With the passage of SCR44, Hawaiʻi becomes the first state to declare a Climate Emergency. Previously Hawaiʻi and Maui County Councils declared a climate emergency in 2019.
Lawsuit Aims to Protect ʻIʻiwi, Threatened Iconic Hawaiian Forest Bird
The Center for Biological Diversity on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the US Fish and Wildlife Service for allegedly “failing to designate critical habitat and develop a recovery plan” for the threatened ‘i‘iwi, one of Hawai‘i’s imperiled honeycreepers.
UH Study: Doubling Tropical Cyclone Risk to Hawai‘i Possible with Higher CO2 Levels
The study suggests that global warming will intensify landfalling tropical cyclones of a category three or higher in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, while suppressing the formation of weaker events.
Pioneering Smart Buoy Installed at Maui’s Mala Reef for Worldwide Coral Preservation
A pioneering smart buoy and mooring system to collect realtime data was installed at Mala Reef by the Kohola Film Project as part of a global initiative launched by Aqualink to preserve coral reefs.
Lawsuit Launched to Protect Threatened Green Sea Turtle Habitat
The lawsuit alleges a failure to protect green sea turtle habitat, which plaintiffs argue face threats from sea-level rise, plastic pollution and warming.
Suzuki Challenges Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks
Hawaiʻi Attorney General Russell A. Suzuki joined a coalition of 29 states and local governments in challenging the Trump Administration’s proposed rollbacks of environmental protections.
UH Professor Contributes to Report on Coral Reefs and Climate Change
A new report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine stated, while the management of local and regional stressors threatening coral reefs is critical, these efforts on their own will not be enough in the face of global climate change.
Hawai‘i’s Cauliflower Coral Moves Toward Endangered Listing
Cauliflower corals have declined significantly, including a 36% drop in coverage across Hawaiʻi from 1999 to 2012.
Mayor Arakawa Proposes New Shoreline Setback Regulations
Maui County was the first county in the state to adopt shoreline setback formulas that include annual erosion hazard rates.
Hawai‘i’s Mayors Oppose Repeal of Clean Power Plan
Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa joined his fellow mayors in Hawaiʻi in signing a letter in opposition to the EPA’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan.
Sea Level Rise Report Accepted by New State Climate Commission
The 304-page report describes where Hawai‘i is today and where we will be in the future as sea level rise increases with global warming.
