Abstract

The Climate Ready O‘ahu Climate Adaptation Strategy is about protecting what we love by adapting to climate change. It uplifts 12 strategies and 57 actions we must take to prepare, protect, and safeguard our island community as climate impacts unfold today and for generations of O‘ahu residents to come.

Climate change is an unequivocal danger to us today and an increasing threat for our future. As the climate has changed, we’ve experienced impacts to our community, ʻāina (land, earth), and infrastructure. As we work to rapidly eliminate greenhouse gas pollution and stop causing more climate change, we must also take actions to reduce our vulnerability to hazards and the risks to our sustained well-being. Climate adaptation is taking action to prepare for and adjust to both the current and projected impacts of climate change. O‘ahu’s top climate hazards are:

1. Sea-level rise and coastal erosion
2. Rising temperatures and extreme heat
3. Flash flooding
4. Drought and wildfire
5. Hurricanes

Climate Ready Oʻahu advances adopted policies and goals, and is built on a foundation of community voices, including an Advisory Hui, City staff, and more than 2,000 residents who were engaged through surveys, workshops, open houses, a public comment period, and other community engagement efforts.

From state and city governments, to residents and communities, to the visitors we host each year, preparing for climate change requires continued collaboration in identifying and implementing solutions that make sense for us. By executing the following strategies and actions, Climate Ready Oʻahu will enhance the wellbeing of Oʻahu residents and the environment for generations to come:

• Empowered and Prepared People: A climate-ready Oʻahu is one where all people are empowered with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to prepare for climate impacts. Raising awareness of climate hazards, providing educational resources for implementing climate adaptation solutions, and collaborating with natural and cultural resource practitioners will foster alignment in protecting our community and cultural resources from climate impacts.
• Safeguarded and Stewarded ‘Āina: A climate-ready Oʻahu is one where connections between people and native ecosystems are cultivated so the ʻāina is safeguarded for generations to come. Strengthening ecosystem-wide restoration efforts, improving watershed health, and enhancing local food production and access will minimize loss of ʻāina and strengthen natural buffers to climate impacts.
• Safe & Reliable Infrastructure: A climate-ready O‘ahu is one where infrastructure works with natural systems to keep people safe at home, at work, and everywhere in between. Retrofitting buildings and homes, increasing urban green spaces, and integrating climate resilience principles into planning efforts will protect people and community assets, minimize disruptions in daily lives, and reduce repair costs from climate impacts.