The State’s Climate Advisory Team (CAT) released its policy paper yesterday.
The paper describes actions Hawaiʻi can take immediately while simultaneously building the foundation for long-term policies that will help Hawaiʻi survive and respond to future disasters.
Throughout the summer and fall of 2024, the CAT met with subject matter experts in climate science, insurance markets, land stewardship and environmental justice, as well as leadership of government agencies and grassroots community advocates. CAT members conducted extensive research to understand the unique challenges faced and glean insights into potential policy solutions; evaluate successful efforts applicable to Hawaiʻi’s resilience and disaster recovery needs; and gain insight into the interwoven challenges facing residents.
This research informed the policy paper released today, which includes six primary findings and recommendations grouped into five major areas—financial commitment, government kuleana, thriving environment, community resilience and financial recovery. The CAT suggests various funding options to finance the policy recommendations. The CAT finds that near-term policy changes and financing approaches are essential starting points—a down payment on the full investment required to achieve a disaster-ready Hawaiʻi.
The CAT’s key findings include:
- Seventy-one percent of respondents believe what happened in Lahaina could happen in their community, but only 39% think their community is prepared for a natural disaster.
- Events in Hawaiʻi and beyond show us that the frequency and severity of disasters is increasing.
- The ongoing expected annual loss to all properties in Hawaiʻi due to hurricane, wildfire, flood and earthquake damage is $1.4 billion.
- Increasing risk from disasters will exacerbate Hawaiʻi’s cost-of-living crisis.
- The growing crisis in the insurance market further exacerbates Hawaiʻi’s cost of living crisis.
- Hawaiʻi cannot afford to wait.
The policy paper includes fourteen actionable policy solutions for consideration by Governor Green and the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. One of the top recommendations of the policy paper is to establish a permanent resilience office, to provide the necessary leadership and coordination of a strategic, integrated approach to improve Hawaiʻi’s resilience and preparedness for climate-related disasters.
While some of the policy ideas can be implemented by executive action or by agency leadership, three of the recommendations require legislative involvement and will be advocacy priorities for the CAT during the 2025 session:
- Establishing a new Hawaiʻi Climate Resilience Fund, which would provide financial support for environmental, infrastructure and community resilience projects.
- Ensuring disaster recovery funds will be available to provide financial assistance to the most vulnerable residents after disasters occur.
- Supporting, expanding and appropriately resourcing the Office of the State Fire Marshal and related programs like Firewise.
The policy paper is now available at www.hawaiiclimateadvisoryteam.org.
The public is invited to learn more at a virtual presentation by the CAT members on Friday, January 10, at 9:30 a.m. Visit www.hawaiiclimateadvisoryteam.org for more information and to pre-register for the webinar.