Sea Level Rise & Coastal Hazards

Island communities in Hawai‘i and the insular Pacific are vulnerable to sea-level rise and coastal hazards associated with a changing climate.  As coastal water levels get higher, community populations and infrastructure (hospitals, schools, roads, public utilities, communication systems) are increasingly vulnerable to flooding and destruction.  In addition to the dangers of increased baseline sea level, rising waters increase the risk to island communities posed by hurricanes, tsunamis, high-wave events, and coastal erosion.  Across the School students and faculty explore solutions to mitigate climate impacts in the islands, reduce island vulnerabilities, and increase adaptive ability to sea level rise and coastal hazards.