As the tides continue to rise, so does Hawaiʻi's commitment to adapt and prepare. The Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (CCMAC) has launched an updated iteration of the State of Hawaiʻi Sea Level Rise Viewer, an essential tool for coastal planning. According to a Hawaii DLNR recent release, this digital platform provides communities and local officials with a more precise understanding of the encroaching threats to the state's coastlines. With projections indicating a potential rise of four feet by century's end, the stakes have never been higher.
Hawaii is staring down projections of a substantial four-foot increase in sea level, a jump up from previous estimates of 3.2 feet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) paints a grim picture, warning that sea levels will continue to rise for millennia, even if we were to drastically slash our greenhouse gas emissions. This update happens to provide a front-row seat to visualizing the impacts at varying levels of sea rise, with new features such as passive flooding layers that showcase potential high-tide still-water flooding scenarios.
The enhanced viewer, developed through collaboration among the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), the Coastal Research Collaborative at the University of Hawaiʻi, and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, now encompasses additional data and user-centric guidance. These added elements are meant to fine-tune assessments of social vulnerability indicators—crucial aspects in coastal adaptation planning. Incorporating data from the NOAA, the updated viewer offers richer insights into how rising sea levels would shape the daily lives of Hawaiʻi's residents.
The updated sea-level rise viewer, designed for policymakers, planners, and residents, includes both environmental data and social indicators to help identify areas and communities that may be most affected. State of Hawai‘i Climate Coordinator Leah Laramee told the Hawaii DLNR, "Sea level rise isn't a distant forecast – it's happening now and its impacts are already being felt across Hawai‘i." The tool aims to support informed planning decisions to address rising sea levels and protect vulnerable populations.
CCMAC has begun work on a 10-year update to the 2017 Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report. The updated sea-level rise viewer is part of the agency’s strategy to inform the public and support community planning in response to climate change.
