Exploring Climate Change Through a Legal Lens with Dr. Chip Fletcher and Colin Lee

Dr. Charles “Chip” Fletcher and Colin Lee ’21 share the importance of understanding the science behind climate change and how it allows policymakers to properly address climate change through a legal lens.

Spotlight Now: Dr. Chip Fletcher discusses climate science — and resilience

On today’s “Spotlight Now,” climate change expert Dr. Chip Fletcher discusses the importance of building a climate-resilient Hawaii.

Waikīkī sea-level rise adaptation project earns honorable mention

An interdisciplinary team from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa was recognized by American Planning Association Hawaiʻi Chapter (APA-HI) in the 2023 Chapter Awards Program in September. The project’s conceptual renders, research, and stakeholder involvement process earned an honorable mention in the urban design category. Their visualizations of Waikīkī sea-level rise adaptation strategies for buildings, utilities, transportation, and open spaces for 2050 and 2100 resulted in an excellence of thought, analysis and graphics that “create a sense of place.”  Read More

At What Point Managed Retreat?: Takeaways from the 2023 Managed Retreat Conference

Managed Retreat is the act of proactively planning for and undertaking removal and relocation of vulnerable development and infrastructure from the coastline. It is an increasingly hot topic in Hawaiʻi, other coastal states, nations across the U.S., and around the world as the climate changes and sea levels rise. In Hawaiʻi, policy conversations around this topic have been ongoing for several years. The urgency to act is being underscored by events such as the 2022 collapse of a home onto O‘ahu’s Sunset Beach and the erosion of beaches threatening development along the West Maui coastline… Read More

Waikīkī sea-level rise adaptation strategy earns Mayor’s Choice Award

On Friday, July 28th, 2023, the American Institute of Architects Honolulu held the 65th Annual Design Awards Gala to honor local AIA members and affiliates on their merits. The event took place at the Aloha Tower Sunset Ballroom, with Honolulu Mayor, Rick Blangiardi, architectural firms, academics, UH architecture students, and distinguished members of the community in attendance. The research team led by Wendy Meguro was presented the Mayor’s Choice Award by Mayor Rick Blangiardi for their research entitled, “Beachfront Sea Level Rise Adaptation”. This is the first time this project has received the Mayor’s Choice Award from AIA Honolulu… Read More

Waikīkī sea-level rise adaptation strategies engage public through discussion

Waikīkī is the economic hub of Hawaiʻi’s tourism industry and is threatened by flooding from sea-level rise, king tides, groundwater inundation, overflow of the Ala Wai canal and more. In an effort to address these challenges, an interdisciplinary academic research team from the University of Hawaiʻi hosted a virtual interactive discussion in June with 220 people in attendance for Envisioning Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategies for Waikīkī, Part III.

 Envisioning Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategies for Waikīkī, Part III

Join the virtual interactive1-hour and 30 minute discussion about the academic research project, Envisioning Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategies for Waikīkī, on Thursday, June 22, 2023, 12:00–1:30 PM. This event is hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program Center for Smart Building and Community Design and School of Architecture’s Environmental Research and Design Lab, and School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology. The event will include architectural renderings of potential future site-specific flood adaptation options, critique by an expert panel, and opportunities for audience participation. This is the third public presentation featuring a new beachfront study site. The 2021 and 2022 presentations are available on the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant website. This presentation is free and open to the public.

VIDEO: KĀKOU: Hawaiʻi’s Town Hall Climate Change: Our Disappearing Beaches

Does Hawai‘i have a plan to combat beach erosion? What can residents do to help? Is there hope? Join us on KAKOU: HAWAIʻI’S TOWN HALL: Climate Change-Our Disappearing Beaches where PBS Hawai‘i is bringing together multiple stakeholders to discuss this real and frightening problem.

VIDEO: Climate Change and Sea Level Rise in Kakaako Makai (Catching up on Kakaako)

January 24, 2023

Professor Chip Fletcher of SOEST at the University of Hawaii and the Climate Change Commission will help us understand the effects of climate change and sea level rise in shoreline areas in Kakaako Makai and whether High Rise Condo development is realistic in that area.

VIDEO: Climate scientist Dr. Chip Fletcher joins Spotlight Hawaii

January 23, 2023

Climate scientist Dr. Chip Fletcher, Interim Dean of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, joins the Spotlight Hawaii LIVE conversation.

Use surplus to protect Sunset Beach

December 25, 2022

Hawaii has a budget surplus of $1.9 billion. We urge use of these funds to protect treasured Sunset Beach. Here is our two-part proposal.First, we encourage the administration to change course from the past and crack down on expired emergency hardening permissions granted to coastal property
owners… Read More