Video: The Hard Science of Climate by Dr. Chip Fletcher October 2026
November 3, 2026
Dr. Chip Fletcher discusses climate science — and resilience in this ~50-minute presentation. See the recorded session here on the CRC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q58ZACWpsJY .
Should we let beachfront properties fall into the ocean?
August 24, 2026
CRC Climate Change and Resiliency Policy Analyst Colin Lee joined host Coralie Chun Matayoshi on KHON2’s “What’s the Law?” to break down the legal and environmental challenges surrounding accelerating coastal erosion in Hawaiʻi. In the interview, Lee discusses the rapid loss of local shorelines, the impacts of climate phenomena like El Niño, and the State’s constitutional obligation to safeguard public natural resources amidst growing conflicts over private beachfront property. Watch/Read the full interview on KHON2→
Column: Don’t erode Hawaii’s sea-level protections
August 16, 2026
SOEST Interim Dean Chip Fletcher and UH Sea Level Center Director Phil Thompson co-authored an Island Voices column in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser warning against easing local sea-level rise policies. In response to recent calls to relax coastal planning standards, Fletcher and Thompson clarify that while global climate projections (such as IPCC emissions scenarios) are evolving, the physical reality of local sea-level rise remains urgent. Ocean measurements around Hawaii indicate sea levels have risen at rates exceeding 4 millimeters per year in recent decades, underlining the critical need to maintain strong, science-based coastal planning protections. Read the full op-ed on the … Read more
Column: Kahala’s eroding beaches are public loss, not just private one
July 23, 2026
The Star-Advertiser recently published an article about beachfront properties in Kahala, in which a value was put on what erosion means for the oceanfront estates along Kahala Avenue: every square foot lost is thousands of dollars gone from a landowner’s balance sheet (“State decries erosion at Kahala beachfront properties,” June 29). The description reveals what’s missing from the conversation about Kahala’s crumbling shoreline — it represents only a small portion of the ledger. Missing from that accounting is the value of the beach itself, the public trust asset that state law says belongs to everyone, not to whomever happens to … Read more
Column: Rolling back climate scenario does not roll back risks
July 12, 2026
The recent decision by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to retire the high-emissions RCP8.5 scenario has prompted some to argue that the climate crisis may not be as severe as once feared. In Hawaii, that discussion has even raised questions about whether our clean energy and emissions-reduction goals should be relaxed. That would be a profound mistake. RCP8.5 was never a prediction; it was a scenario. Critics are correct that it assumed exceptionally high fossil-fuel emissions that now appear less likely because renewable energy has expanded faster than expected and coal use has not grown as projected. But … Read more
CRC and Partners Release New Sea Level Rise Viewers for Pohnpei and Yap
July 3, 2026
A team from the University of Hawai‘i and Arizona State University, supported by a NOAA Adaptation Sciences grant, has developed two high‑resolution online GIS Viewers to help communities in Pohnpei and Yap better understand local sea level rise risks. Using GPS and drone-based elevation surveys tied to tide gauges, the project maps one‑foot increments of sea level rise and shows how homes, roads, utilities, and public spaces may be affected over time. In May and June 2026, the team met with government agencies and community members to demonstrate the tools and gather feedback. The Viewers integrate critical infrastructure data from … Read more
CRC’s own Earth Science grad Noah Paoa is among first from Rapa Nui to earn doctoral degree
June 9, 2026
Growing up on Rapa Nui, Noah Paoa spent his summers camping by the shore, bodyboarding, and exploring the island’s landscape with his family. A pivotal moment occurred in 2010 when, at fifteen years old, a massive earthquake in Chile triggered a tsunami warning for the island. Paoa watched the shoreline recede so far it seemed as if the ocean had never been there. In addition to his deep connection to place, this experience highlighted how closely life on an island is tied to the forces of the sea, eventually guiding him toward a historic academic milestone. Graduating with the University … Read more
Waiʻanae Readiness Review launches effort with first community meeting
May 7, 2026
The Waiʻanae Readiness Review held its first community meeting on April 29th, at Kamehameha Schools’ Kaiāulu Community Learning Center in Māʻili, marking the formal launch of a year-long effort to assess climate vulnerability and build resilience across the Waiʻanae Moku. The project is led by the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) at Mānoa’s Climate Resilience Collaborative (CRC), headed by Chip Fletcher, Dean of the School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology (SOEST) at UH Mānoa, in partnership with the UH Mānoa Wildfire Research team led by Clay Trauernicht, and the Resilience Office of the City and County of Honolulu. More than 90 committee members, community members, … Read more
Star-Advertiser Editorial Highlights UH Climate Research on Ala Wai Flood and Contamination Risks
April 29, 2026
A recent editorial in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser draws on research from University of Hawaii experts to urge immediate city and state action on compound flood risks in the Ala Wai watershed. The piece features insights from CRC coastal geologist Shellie Habel and UH climate modeling analyst Kayla Yamamoto, whose research reveals that heavy rainfall, rising groundwater tables, and failing drainage infrastructure are accelerating flood frequency in Waikiki. The editorial underscores the urgent need for long-term watershed management, stormwater holding capacity, and wastewater infrastructure upgrades to protect Honolulu’s coastal communities and public waters. Read the full editorial on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser … Read more
Sea-level rise might increase tainted water
April 27, 2026
If you’ve walked through ankle-deep water in Waikiki during heavy storms, its possible that you’ve come in contact with contaminated water from the Ala Wai Canal. That’s according to a new study from the University of Hawaii, which simulated past flood events and projected future events to analyze how contaminated water affects the area. It notes that climate change will increase global flood risks by raising sea levels, shifting precipitation patterns and increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Contact with Ala Wai Canal water won’t be solely tied to precipitation, the study said. Sea-level rise and deteriorated … Read more