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Cheryl L Anderson, PhD Director, Hazards, Climate, and Environment Program

Cheryl L Anderson, PhD Director, Hazards, Climate, and Environment Program Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa. Local Impacts of Climate – Pacific Region Climate Friendly Parks, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 21-22 February 2007.

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Cheryl L Anderson, PhD Director, Hazards, Climate, and Environment Program

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  1. Cheryl L Anderson, PhD Director, Hazards, Climate, and Environment Program Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Local Impacts of Climate – Pacific Region Climate Friendly Parks, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 21-22 February 2007

  2. World Disasters Reports(International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies) • Economic losses from natural disasters in the 1990’s averaged $63 billion/year; five times the equivalent figure for the 1970’s • “…the projected costs of damage inflicted by climate change could top US $300 billion per year within the next few decades” (Gerhard Berz, Munich Re) • Adaptation to climate change now viewed as a key element in an integrated program of risk reduction

  3. Climate Counts in the Pacific • Pacific Island communities among the most vulnerable • Economic plans dependent on climate-sensitive sectors or resources • Unique ecosystems and rich biodiversity • Water resources already stressed in some areas • Increasing contribution to global emissions • Year-to-year variability (monsoon, ENSO) has significant consequences

  4. Photo courtesy of DOE, Kiribati ISSUES OF TODAY When the abnormal becomes normal

  5. PEAC Established August 1994

  6. Challenges from Storms • Loss of Critical Infrastructure • Loss of Communication Node regionally • Loss of Local Means of Communication • Loss of External Communication

  7. Challenges from ENSO Events – Droughts, Fires, Floods • Communicating What was About to Happen • Getting People to Believe and Take Action • Figuring out how to Address the “Urgent Need for Information” People line up for water in the Republic of the Marshall Islands to receive ration once every fourteen days.

  8. Drought and Extreme Tides in the FSM

  9. Wildfires in FSM and Guam Coral Bleaching in Palau

  10. Pacific Islands Regional Assessment

  11. Pacific Islands Regional Assessment Focus on Vulnerability in order to: • Understand exposure & sensitivity (impacts) • Address adaptive capacity (resilience) • Develop appropriate response options • Engage all experts in shared learning and joint problem-solving

  12. Pacific Assessment:Key Issues • Providing Access to Fresh Water • Protecting Public Health • Ensuring Public Safety & Protecting Community Infrastructure(extreme events) • Sustaining Tourism • Sustaining Agriculture • Promoting Wise Use of Coastal & Marine Resources

  13. Sedimentation Sewage Anchor Damage Toxic Chemicals Over Fishing Diver Damage Impacts on Habitat Decrease Resiliency

  14. Consider Change…

  15. Pacific Climate Information System (PaCIS) Vision Resilient and sustainable Pacific communities using climate information to manage risks and support practical decision-making in the context of climate variability and change.

  16. Climate Information Mainstreaming: Some Guiding Principles • Focus on integrated climate-society system • Collaborative, participatory process with users: • Continuous, interactive dialogue • Co-production of knowledge • Document and share experiences • Problem-focused approach: • Understand place, context, history and decision making process; • Useful & usable information responsive to user needs • Climate information system vs. event forecasting

  17. Climate Information Mainstreaming: Some Guiding Principles • Facilitate proactive decision making: • Recognize dynamic, evolutionary nature of both climate & policy • Climate information and risk management in a sustainable development context: • Responding to today’s variability • Adaptation to long-term change • Economic planning & community development • Mainstreaming climate information & adaptation

  18. Climate Information Mainstreaming: Some Guiding Principles • Build and sustain critical partnerships • Build on existing systems, institutions, programs, relationships & networks • Climate risk management in a sustainable development context: • Responding to today’s variability • Adaptation to long-term change • Economic planning & community development • Mainstreaming climate information & adaptation

  19. Climate AdaptationOpportunities • Education, Public Awareness and Outreach • Monitoring Changes • Partnerships – leveraging resources & skills • Implement Best Management Practices • Integrated Resource Management • Upreach to Legislators/Leaders/Decision Makers

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