Hawaii, the Islands State of the United States is being seriously impacted by climate change
Heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and sea lever rise are the main effects of climate change on Hawai’i (alternative spelling). According to BBC, BBC.com, extreme drought is considered to have triggered the massive wildfire in Hawaii in 2023. At the time, it concluded that “14% of the state is suffering from severe or moderate drought, according to the US drought monitor, while 80% of Hawaii is classified as abnormally dry.” Maui, the second-largest island in Hawaii where the fires were concentrated, was “under a red flag alert-meaning warm temperatures , very low humidity and strong winds were expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger-before the fires broke out,” according to BBC. It goes on to say that the Governor of the state, Josh Green, described the fire as the “largest natural disaster” in the history of the Hawaii.
The BBC.com argues that “Scientists have calculated that 90% of Hawaii is getting less rainfall than it did a century ago, with the period since 2008 particularly dry,” together with the fact that “Climate change is increasing the risk of wildfire globally as it drives up temperatures and makes heatwaves longer and more intense.”
Sea level rise in Hawai’i is negatively affecting both the quantity and quality of the beaches that are fundamental to the State’s vibrant tourism industry. According to the Hawai’i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, climate.hawaii.gov, “local sea level rise means that the level of the ocean is rising relative to the land next to it. In Hawaiʻi sea level rise means the loss of our beaches, homes and critical infrastructure such as roads. As the sea level increases relative to the land, we can observe that our dry beaches are disappearing with former areas of dry sand now being chronically under water. This is a symptom of climate change.” It attributes sea level rise to “[the world’s] melting ice sheets and [melting] glaciers and thermal expansion: [The world’s] water takes up more space as it warms.”
Sea level rise is affecting Hawaii in diverse ways, for example, climate.hawaii.gov says “sea level in Hawaiʻi has already risen 5 inches since 1970…Hawaiʻi can expect 8 in of sea level rise by 2050 and 3.5 ft by 2100…70% of beaches and 4,000 structures in the state are threatened…53 million gallons of untreated sewage are released into Hawaiʻi’s Waterways each day,” due to sea level rise.
Sea level rise also contributes to floods, climate.hawaii.gov says “Hawaiʻi can expect 150 high tide flood days per year by 2050,” and these floods also affect the marshlands on the coasts and the low lying areas, that are the home of significant biodiversity. The coastal zone management act, it is argued, was put in place to facilitate proper management of the coastline protection efforts.
Hawai’i has a vibrant tourism industry which is the backbone of its economy. Climate change impacts on the beaches and the general quality of life, are of major concern to the authorities. Recently the State has increased hotel taxes to help garner more revenue to help with increasing climate adaptation costs.
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