Hawaii 2040: Climate Change Is Already Here. And We’re Running Out Of Time
Scientists predict the worst will hit in about 21 years. But Hawaii is already feeling the effects of a warming planet. What are we going to do about it?
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Fight Against Climate Change Is ‘An All-Out, All-In War’
Keynote speaker at Hawaii Climate Conference cites importance of equitability in how we respond to the effects of a warming planet.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Fighting Climate Change Will Cost The State Millions
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says money is urgently needed to protect beaches, watersheds, native species and more.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Massive Flood Risks Don’t Deter Kauai Homeowners From Rebuilding
Kauai has tightened requirements for shoreline development, but they don't take into account more alarming recent predictions of the impact of climate change and rising seas.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
We Have To Move Our Homes And Businesses Away From The Shoreline. But How?
Hawaii lawmakers will confront major policy questions this session as they grapple with looming problems from a warming planet.
Developing An Action Plan For Oahu: ‘The Climate Is Not Waiting For Us’
Officials with the city climate office toured the island over the past few months to spread public awareness of the issue and gather feedback on ways to reduce emissions.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018
Should Hawaii Tax Carbon Emissions To Combat Climate Change?
Several measures in the Legislature give the public a chance to weigh in on what could be a sweeping environmental policy reform.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
These Rare Seabirds Are Having Babies On Oahu’s North Shore
Years of chopping down invasive trees, replanting native species and controlling predators may be paying off for albatross threatened by sea level rise.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Study: Moving Ourselves Away From The Shoreline Is Hard But Doable
A new report sheds light on some of the critical factors for the state to consider when implementing a managed retreat strategy.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Losing A Beachfront Home Isn’t Just A Rich Person’s Problem
As the sea level rise exacerbates coastal erosion, many longtime middle-class residents are struggling to protect their properties.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2019
Many Climate Change Bills Are Still Alive, Including A Carbon Tax
At the session's halfway point, several new measures have support. But some current initiatives will expire if action isn't taken.
Courtesy: Paulina Sato/Malama Learning Center
Neutralizing Our Carbon Footprint, One Tree At A Time
Civil Beat teamed with a UH climate professor and the Malama Learning Center to offset some of our staff's greenhouse gas emissions.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Buyer Beware: Oceanfront Homes Keep Going Up Despite Rising Seas
Now, Hawaii lawmakers are considering bills that force sellers to tell prospective owners about vulnerable coastal properties.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Hawaii Lawmakers Have Largely Dropped The Ball On Slowing Climate Change
Efforts to address the effects of a warming planet on a vulnerable island state have mostly fallen short this session.
VIDEO: What Is A Carbon Tax?
Climate and economic experts believe carbon taxes can change consumer habits and slow down the effects of climate change.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Dozens Of Climate Change Bills Went Down The Political Drain This Session
There was a lot of talk about the need to address sea level rise and other problems but virtually no action in the Hawaii Legislature.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2018
Podcast: Our Journey To The Last Wild Place
The story behind Civil Beat's award-winning multimedia project, and how the trip is informing our current reporting on climate change.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
‘We’re Not Scared’: Hawaii Confronts Next Wave Of Climate Change
Local emerging leaders and experts in their fields expound on the importance of bringing diverse minds to the table to develop solutions.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
This Rare Island Waterbird Is Becoming Citified
The endangered Hawaiian stilt is increasingly found on soccer fields, golf courses and wastewater treatment sites. But its adaptability poses new risks.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Climate Change Is Making Hawaii’s Beaches More Dangerous
The effects of a rapidly warming planet have reshaped the work of lifeguards, emergency responders and health officials.
Alana Eagle/Civil Beat
Trump Weakens Protections For Hawaii’s Imperiled Plants And Animals
The revised Endangered Species Act regulations flabbergasted environmentalists who are concerned about warding off more extinctions.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019
Hawaii Is Losing As Much Of Its Land To Wildfires As Any Other State
Climate change and poor land management are fueling fires that are burning a significant portion of Hawaii's land.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Air Travel’s Carbon Footprint Takes A Big Environmental Toll In Hawaii
Carbon emissions from planes are only now starting to get some of the attention as other troubling side effects caused by soaring numbers of tourists.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
How Climate Change Will Affect Hawaii’s Favorite Fish
Warmer waters are shifting the size and behavior of ahi in the Pacific, which could affect prices for consumers. But it's not all doom and gloom.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
We’re Ramping Up Our Climate Coverage. Here’s Why
Civil Beat is joining with more than 250 news organizations around the world this week in an effort to reframe the way journalists cover this pressing global issue.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Will Hawaii Lead The Renewables Revolution?
Hawaii has positioned itself as a pioneer in the quest to move toward a fossil-free future. How it deals with obstacles in its path to 100% renewable energy could hold lessons for the rest of the U.S.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Bans, Trade-Ins and Take-Homes: Ideas For Reducing Food Packaging in Hawaii
The movement to reduce single-use plastics in Hawaii is moving beyond straws, but current health codes restrict personal containers from being used at take-out restaurants.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019
With Sea Level Rise, The Fate of Hawaii’s Most Vulnerable Roads Is Uncertain
Climate change is already taking a toll on coastal highways. Some of those roads may eventually be abandoned to the rising seas, a top official warns.
Christina Jedra/Civil Beat
Why The Growing Demand For AC Threatens Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Goals
Far more residents now have air conditioning to deal with a warming climate. But their increased electrical use makes the problem worse.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019
Is This The New Normal? Hawaii Wrestles With Record Heat
Climatologists are frustrated by the lack of action in response to manmade global warming, but there are some simple solutions that could provide relief.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Report: Climate Change Is Hurting Oceans — And Us — More Than Expected
The first ocean-specific report by a prestigious international panel underscores the urgency of taking action now to reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming.
Alana Eagle/Civil Beat/2017
Record Heat Thrusts Hawaii Corals Into ‘New Era’ Of Bleaching
The reefs have never had to endure such conditions. Marine scientists remain optimistic but warn that time is running out for society to step up.
Courtesy: Randy Chiu/Flickr
Fish Poop: Our Secret Weapon Against Beach Erosion
The uhu fish are “lawnmowers of the sea” and play a vital role in producing sand. But they’re at risk.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019
Why Hawaii Still Has So Few Electric Cars
Only about 1% of cars here are electric vehicles. Advocates say boosting that number requires mandating builders install charging stations at new developments.
Claire Caulfield/Civil Beat
Hawaii’s Push To Plant Millions Of Trees
Climate change, bureaucracy and goats are all complicating efforts to combat carbon emissions with more greenery.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2017
Conflicts, Antitrust Questions Raised Regarding Maui Solar Farm
Utilities and others are concerned that the same lawyers are representing multiple parties in a competitive bidding process.
Brittany Lyte
Honolulu’s First ‘Climathon’ Tackles The Challenges Of Green Tourism
The winners of the hackathon proposed giving beach toys a second life as a way to reduce visitors' environmental footprint.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Hawaii Gas Faces Uncertain Future In State’s Renewable Energy Push
A bill to limit the use of natural gas in new homes could be a first step to broader bans, a gas company official says.
Fighting To Save This Rare Maui Forest Bird From Extinction
A team of biologists brought 13 critically endangered Maui parrotbills to the other side of Haleakala to save the species from extinction. But less than a month later, only three birds have survived.
Courtesy: Sadie Williams
Why Gonzo Artist Ralph Steadman Drew The Endangered Kiwikiu For Us
The tiny Hawaii forest bird, threatened by climate change and habitat loss, is finding additional support from 7,000 miles away.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2019
My Slog To Find Rare Birds In A Remote Maui Rainforest
Nine cold, wet, showerless days crawling on my knees in the mud on the side of a mountain. What's not to love?
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2015
How Will Climate Change Affect Surfing In Hawaii?
Some iconic surf breaks could be completely eliminated while others will see bigger waves than ever before.
How A Doctor And A Reverend On Oahu Became Climate Warriors
The two are taking new approaches to their work in the face of climate change.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Poll: Oahu Voters Want Action On Climate Change
A new survey finds high levels of support for doing things individually and collectively to address the effects of a warming planet.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
They’ve Watched Our Climate Changing For Decades From High Atop Mauna Loa
For 60 years, scientists have documented the rising trend of carbon dioxide levels as fossil fuel emissions continue to increase.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
How The Gas Company Plans To Fight A Bill Banning Gas Water Heaters
Hawaii Gas faces an uncertain future as the state moves to renewables. Now it's creating a new entity to help advocate for gas.
Courtesy: Jack Jefferey Photography
Deadly Mosquitoes Are Killing Off Hawaii’s Rare Forest Birds
Scientists are racing to eradicate disease-carrying mosquitoes from forests, but to some a solution still feels like forever away.
Via Pixabay
Assessing Hawaii’s Zika Risk And Avoiding Carbon Offset Scams
We answer reader-submitted questions about man-of-war invasions, carbon offsets, Zika outbreaks and an inter-island ferry system.
Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat
Hawaii 2040: What We Learned About Climate Change
The ambitious reporting project found myriad reasons for the public to be pessimistic about the effects of a warming planet on the islands. But also reasons for hope.
Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat
Six Feet Above: Where To Draw The Line On Sea Level Rise
Lawmakers are considering how far to set back new developments as well as specific strategies to deal with climate change.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2015
The Future For Fishing: Managing A Lucrative Resource In The Face Of Climate Change
Congressional leaders are considering ways to make the nation's primary fisheries management law more effective as the planet warms.
Claire Caulfield/Civil Beat/2019
How Do You Talk To People About Climate Change Without Freaking Them Out?
A majority of adults in Hawaii know global warming is happening, but not many discuss the issue with friends, family or co-workers.
Courtesy: Bret Nainoa Mossman/MFBRP
Maui Is No Longer Safe For Hawaii’s Endangered Birds, Biologists Say
New refuges are sought as scientists battle disease-carrying mosquitoes in the face of a changing climate.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021
Climate Change Threatens To Worsen Health Disparities In Hawaii
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders already face disproportionately high rates of diseases like diabetes.