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HAWAI‘I CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION COMMISSION

Coordinator’s Letter: June, 2022

Aloha <<First Name>>,

Climate Commission Meeting: July 20, 2022

Join us for our hybrid Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Commission meeting. The meeting will be a hybrid meeting and take place via zoom and at the Kalanimoku Boardroom. We have a packed agenda starting at 1 pm kicking off with a 2022 legislative update and updates from our Commission members on their climate actions! We will also be joined by Heather McMillan from DLNR DOFAW who will share the newly launched Tree Canopy Viewer (see our next story for more details). An update on coastal erosion by Justine Nihipali (CZM) and Michael Cain (OCCL) and a review and discussion on new science on projected sea level rise will take a look at how sea level rise is impacting Hawaiʻi currently and in the future. Finally see what the VISTAS, Climate Coordinator and partners have been up to with the coordinator’s updates. The agenda is available on the Commission’s website under the Commission tab.

The New Tree Canopy Viewer

Earlier this month, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife released a new tool, Bird’s Eye View: Understanding Urban Tree Canopy in Hawaiʻi. This ArcGIS data viewer tool will help us to better understand the environmental, social, and economic benefits of Hawaiʻi’s trees. Why is tree canopy so important? Trees sequester carbon in their trunks, remove particulate matter from the air, clean storm water run-off by removing harmful chemicals, cool ambient air by up to 10 degrees on hot days, shelter wildlife, and help create a sense of place. In essence, the bigger the tree canopy, the more benefits for Hawaiʻi. The data already shows us that urban tree canopy across Hawaiʻi is not uniform and understanding the extent and location of our tree canopy can help determine future community design. A robust urban canopy in our communities can be a natural solution to some of Hawaiʻi’s pressing climate change issues, from urban heat islands to flooding and storm water reduction. By supporting our natural paradise, we are striving towards a clean, resilient, and equitable future.

Guidance on the Justice40 Metrics

Equity is a core value of the Commission’s mission to create a clean, equitable, and resilient climate future. This is why we have collaborated with the University of Hawaiʻi to develop a quick guide on the Justice40 initiative. The Justice40 initiative is a directive from the President to his agencies to invest 40% of total federal funding to “disadvantaged, marginalized, underserved, and overburdened” communities, including federal programs that provide services like affordable housing, workforce development, and those working to address climate change. Our Justice40 guide will help agencies consider appropriate data, indices, and screening tools to determine whether a specific community is disadvantaged based on a combination of variables. Agencies seeking federal funding can use our guide to determine or validate the target demographics for their upcoming projects.

Release of the Disclosure Requirement for Residential Real Estate in the Sea Level Rise Exposure Area Flyer (2022)

The State of Hawaiʻi recently enacted a new update to the Mandatory Seller Disclosures in Real Estate Transactions Law in 2021, requiring that real estate transactions within the State of Hawaiʻi must disclose any risk of sea level rise to the property. Risks to oceanfront properties from shoreline erosion and coastal flooding are increasing with sea level rise as documented in scientific and government studies around Hawaiʻi. In response to the codifying of this disclosure, the Commission partnered with the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant to produce a flyer detailing how to assess properties potentially at risk of damage due to sea level rise and what information needs to be disclosed during real estate transactions. The flyer has been well-received and continues to be a tool that can be utilized by sellers and buyers to better understand the climate risks involved in the purchase and sale of oceanfront property.

FOR YOUR INTEREST…

• Applicants Sought for Forest Restoration and Climate Resilience Funding. Applications due August 5, 2022

COMMISSION MEETING MATERIALS

Commission meeting materials from our November 1, 2021 meeting and all past meetings are now available on our website. See you at the next meeting of the Commission on July 20, 2022! Commission meeting dates are up here.

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Your coordinator,

Leah Laramee

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