Increasing temperatures, decreasing rainfall, and more intense droughts and storms are threatening the health and wellbeing of ecosystems and communities across Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands. Future rainfall and temperature projections provide some insight into future change, but uncertainty remains in when, where, and how impacts will manifest, presenting daunting challenges to natural resource managers. The need for high-quality reliable climate data and translated products that can be used to proactively plan for changes in the region has never been greater. This is especially true in underserved communities where access to data and resources for integrating climate information into management planning is limited.
This project seeks to improve the quantity, quality, and accessibility of climate data and information to build climate resilience and adaptive capacity in Hawai‘i, American Sāmoa, and Guam. Researchers will work closely with partners, including natural resource managers and water supply agencies, to identify climate information needs and explore more effective ways to integrate future climate scenarios into management planning. A strong emphasis will be placed on developing new interactive web-based resources, including new data products and site-specific climate information (e.g., high-resolution monthly rainfall maps) that can be easily accessed by a range of users including resource managers, educators, community-based stewards, and other researchers.
