Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA)

Overview

Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA) is a collaborative effort to assess climate change indicators, impacts, and adaptive capacity of the Hawaiian archipelago and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). PIRCA engages federal, state, and local government agencies, non-government organizations, academia, businesses, and community groups to inform and prioritize their activities in the face of a changing climate.

A sustained process of information exchange began with the 2012 PIRCA (which produced Climate Change and Pacific Islands: Indicators and Impacts, Island Press) and established a diverse, regional network of stakeholders engaging with climate impacts and adaptation actions. A series of reports being developed and released in 2019-2021 builds on the 2012 PIRCA and the US Fourth National Climate Assessment, offering a closer look at climate change in Pacific Island jurisdictions and providing information for a wide range of sectors.  In conjunction with other collaborative regional assessment efforts, the series provides guidance for decision-makers seeking to better understand the significance of climate variability and change for the Pacific Islands region and its peoples.

The 2012 assessment represents the beginning of a sustained process of assessment and information exchange among scientists, businesses, governments, and communities in the Pacific Islands region. In conjunction with other regional and national assessments, the 2012 PIRCA report provides information for decision makers seeking to better understand how climate variability and change impact the Pacific Islands region and its communities.

Phone Number: 808-944-7242