A recent update to an online tool that tracks sea level rise in Hawai’i could help local communities prepare to face growing threats.
What’s going on?
Sea levels have risen around the world by an average of eight to nine inches since 1880, but island and coastal communities are especially vulnerable to threats from encroaching waters.
In an effort to prepare the Hawai’i archipelago for destructive storms, flooding, erosion, and more, the State Commission for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation has updated the Sea Level Rise Viewer. The online tool tracks the rising seas.
A news release from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources stated that the revamped tool will help support “smarter coastal planning.” The tracker projects that Hawai’i will face up to four feet of sea level rise by the end of the century.
“Sea level rise is not a far-fetched prediction,” state climate coordinator Leah Laramee said in the release. “It’s happening now and its impacts are already being felt across Hawai’i.”
Why is sea level rise a concern?
According to the US Earth Information Center, even if the rise in human-driven global temperatures were to stop overnight, sea levels would continue to rise for centuries because of the damage already done by heat-trapping pollution.
Burning dirty energy sources such as oil, coal and gas has contributed to global temperatures rising by 1.9°F since 1880, with the majority of that increase occurring over the past 50 years. These higher temperatures can cause glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise.
Extreme weather has always existed, but scientists agree that human-caused warming is outpacing these events. With stronger and more destructive storms, tsunamis and floods, infrastructure and communities are put at risk – especially those along the coast.
What can be done about sea level rise?
Some people are moving to inland and continental communities to escape the ocean waters and their effects. Unfortunately, the most vulnerable and historically marginalized populations are often left behind. Native island communities may be disproportionately affected, not only in Hawai’i but also around the world.
Along with improving equitable support for climate-based migrations, local governments and groups can implement infrastructure such as “living shorelines” to help absorb wave action and prevent coastal damage. But experts agree that it is also vital to move away from burning fossil fuels and towards renewable and sustainable energy sources to tackle the root cause of rising seas.
It is hoped that the updated Hawai’i tool can be used to help shape statewide policies. “We need tools like the Sea Level Rise Viewer to make informed planning and policy decisions,” Laramee said in the release.
She continued, “These updates give our communities and leaders clearer, more actionable information so we can plan smarter, protect people, and respond to the evolving realities along our shores.”
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