The effects of climate change in the islands go far beyond increased temperatures and rising sea levels.
Increase in temperature-related death and diseases as well as human illnesses spread by insects.
Land degradation and desertification will impact soils, vegetation and the terrestrial ecosystems.
Warmer waters will negatively impact fish populations and result in less fish near the islands.
Less water will be stored in aquifers due to erosion in our mountains, affecting our freshwater supply.
Without our beaches, healthy reefs and reliable infrastructure, Hawaii will see fewer visitors and a weaker economy.
The already endangered plants and animals native to the Hawaiian Islands will die off.
As ocean temperatures rise the coral that protects our shoreline will suffer mass bleaching and mortality.
Rising sea levels will exacerbate shoreline erosion, coastal flooding and water pollution.
Carbon footprint calculators help people figure out how much carbon they are emitting and what they can do about it. Here are a few to try: Global Footprint Network, CoolClimate, U.S. EPA.
Explore how sea level rise will impact Hawaii with this interactive tool from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Read the latest scientific reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Hawaii Chapter of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, and the Hawaiian Islands Climate Synthesis Project.
Reporter: Nathan Eagle
Photography: Nathan Eagle, Cory Lum
Multimedia: April Estrellon, Ku‘u Kauanoe, Carlie Procell
Editors: Patti Epler, Jessica Terrell
Development and Design: Mantle
