Hawaiʻi Climate Change and Health Working Group

United by the values of equity, justice, and Aloha, the Hawaiʻi Climate Change and Health Working Group collaborates across disciplines and communities to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s public health resiliency in response to our changing climate.Using a data-driven approach, our mission is to research and communicate the human health impacts of climate change and to advocate for policy solutions that prioritize our most at-risk community members.

Climate Change and Health Impacts

Climate change is already impacting Hawaiʻi. The islands are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to our location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Expected impacts include higher temperatures, rising sea levels, changes in rainfall patterns, more frequent and intense storms, wildfires, increased coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, and ocean acidification.These changes endanger our food and water sources, our marine ecosystems, our air quality, our coastal communities, our ability to respond to disasters, our cultural connections to the land, our agriculture and tourism industries, and our overall health and well-being. Health threats from climate change are widespread but may affect some areas and populations more than others. Please see the resources below to learn more about how Hawaiʻi’s public health is threatened by the climate crisis and what the State is doing to protect our communities.