Climate Adaptation Science Centers
Explore Pacific Islands CASC Projects
ExplorePacific Islands CASC
Pacific Islands CASC scientists are working to understand how sea level rise, runoff, and erosion may impact Hawai'i's National Parks, how freshwater flow through Hawaiian forests may change in the future, the effects of drought on soil moisture and water resources in the region, and much more.
Consortium
- University of Hawai'i, Mānoa (Host)
- University of Hawai'i at Hilo
- University of Guam
Key Documents & Reports
- Five-Year Science Agenda 2018-2022
- Five-Year Science Agenda 2014-2018
- PI CASC Five-year Review Report (June 2018)
- 2015 Annual Report
- 2014 Annual Report
- 2013 Annual Report
- Story Map: PI CASC Projects
Learn more on the Pacific Islands CASC consortium-led website
<< Learn more about the other regional CASCs
Related Content
Reflections on the USGS Powell Expedition
The Pacific Islands CASC Science Coordinator Heather Kerkering participated in the 2019 USGS Powell Expedition and shares her reflections on that experience in a new USGS publication and video documentary of the trip.
Identifying the Impacts of Climate Change in the Republic of Palau and Guam
Pacific Islands CASC-supported report describes challenges caused by climate change in the island nations of Palau and Guam.
Study Examines Coastal Erosion, Drawbacks of Standard Setback Requirements on Hawai'i Island
A project led by the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, with funding from the Pacific Islands CASC, evaluated shoreline erosion in three areas of Hawai'i Island and combined this data with projected sea level rise to estimate future coastal impacts.
Introduced Species Dilute the Effects of Evolution on Diversity
Researchers from the University of Göttingen's German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), and the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center explore biodiversity in young and old forests across the Hawaiian islands.
Factsheet Series Now Available from the PI CASC Workshop, “Drought in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands”
On August 14-15, 2018, the Pacific Islands CASC hosted a workshop on drought in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands and the associated impacts on ecological and human communities across the vast region’s diverse landscapes.
NCASC's Senior Liaison for Insular Relations Interviewed in Award Winning Article on Climate Change in Hawaii
An article on The Cost of Climate Change in Hawaii has won third place in the category of long form feature writing in The Society of Professional Journalists’ Excellence in Journalism Awards (Hawaii chapter). Dave Helweg, the National CASC's Senior Liaison for Insular Relations and former Director of the...
"Voice of the Sea" Episode Featuring PI CASC Research Wins Bronze Telly Award
An episode of Voice of the Sea, featuring research funded by the Pacific Islands CASC, has won a Bronze Telly Award honoring creative and distinguished local, regional, and cable television programming.
CASC Presentations at the 2019 NAF Meeting
Are you attending the National Adaptation Forum (NAF) this spring in Wisconsin? Don't miss these presentations from staff and partners from across the CASC network!
CASC Presentations at the 2018 AGU Meeting
Are you attending the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting this year in D.C.? Don't miss these presentations from staff and partners from across the CASC network!
Supporting Native and Indigenous Community Climate Adaptation Efforts Across the Country
In recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day, we're exploring the ways in which the CASC network is supporting and partnering with Tribal nations and Indigenous communities to address science needs, build capacity, and inform climate adaptation planning.
"Voice of the Sea" Highlights PI CASC in Newest Episodes
The Pacific Islands CASC was recently the focus of two half-hour episodes of the Hawai’i Sea Grant-produced science program, "Voice of the Sea".
10 Things You May Not Know About Drought
Learn about some of our efforts to address the challenges of drought with these 10 examples from across the National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center network.
Hawaiian Endemic Plants Are Vulnerable to Climate Shifts, New Study Suggests
Two new reports, co-authored by scientists supported by the Pacific Islands CASC, describe research seeking to answer how climate changes may impact plant distributions.
Using Coproduction to Facilitate Climate Change Adaptation on Hawaiʻi Island
To help further the understanding of the coproduction process, PI CASC-supported scientists recently published an article in Environmental Management on their experience with knowledge coproduction.
10 Things You May Not Know About Our Coasts
Scientists with the National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) are actively working to understand and monitor climate change impacts on our coasts. Learn more with these 10 examples.
New Name, Same Mission
Our program has a new name, but our mission hasn't changed. We are still hard at work delivering science to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate.
10 Things You May Not Know About Fish and Wildlife
Fish and wildlife play crucial roles across ecosystems and in human society. High animal diversity contributes to healthy ecosystems, and many species provide important economic benefits to our communities.
10 Things You May Not Know About Plants and Forests
Spring is here and in many places across the country, trees are beginning to bud, flowers are blossoming, and the world is starting to look a little more colorful. Look a little closer though and you’ll find that many plants are facing challenging times.
10 Things You May Not Know About the CSC Network
2018 marks the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC). Read on to learn 10 things you might not know about NCCWSC and the Climate Science Centers!
CSC Presentations and More at the 2017 AGU Meeting
Attending the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting this year in New Orleans? Don't miss these presentations from staff and partners from our CSC network!
From Silverswords to Honeycreepers: Project Snapshots from the Pacific Islands
Eight project snapshots provide a glimpse into some of the research supported by the Pacific Islands Climate Science Center, from silverswords to honeycreepers, coral reefs to streams and more!
Data Announcement: Forecasting the Future of Hawai’i’s Forest Birds
Researchers with the Pacific Islands Climate Science Center have published a new dataset showing predicted changes in climate and the risk of malaria transmission to forest birds during the last years of the 21st century.
No Picnic for Our Parks: How Climate Change Could Impact National Parks and the Species they Protect
From retreating glaciers in Alaska to severe drought in the Southwest, climate change is set to dramatically alter our national parks. Here are 10 CSC and NCCWSC projects that provide a snapshot of our work in national parks.
USGS Climate Change and Wildlife Program Receives Award for Leadership in Climate Adaptation
The USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and Department of the Interior Climate Science Centers have been awarded honorable mention for the inaugural Climate Adaptation Leadership Award for Natural Resources for their outstanding work in raising awareness and addressing the impacts of climate change on the nation’s valuable natural resources.
Amid ‘Bad Year’ for Coral New Tool Helps Prioritize Reefs Threatened by Bleaching
A new dataset released last week helps prioritize coral reef management in the face of climate change. The dataset was developed by the Pacific Islands Climate Science Center in partnership with the UNEP, NOAA, and WWF.
Happy Mother’s Day to Moms of All Species
USGS wishes to honor all mothers, of all species. Many of our research findings have and are shedding light on the lives of non-human moms.
Eight Animals Feeling the Heat from Climate Change
From forest to grassland, desert to ocean, many wildlife species are already “feeling the heat” from climate change. Here are eight animals that provide a glimpse into how climate change is impacting wildlife across the country.
Climate Change Research in Support of Hawaiian Ecosystem Management: An Integrated Approach
In the expectation that global climate will change steadily in the coming decades, this research project had the goal to obtain a more detailed view of the climatic changes that Hawaiʻi could experience by mid- and late-21st century.
Modeling Climate-Driven Changes to Dominant Vegetation in Hawaiian Islands
Using species abundance and over 35 years of data from thousands of locations in Hawaii, a research team has constructed maps which detail plant community characteristics related to aspects of the climate.
Native Hawaiian Silverswords Threatened by Shifting Climate Patterns
A new study published in Climate Change Responses by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers shows how shifting atmospheric circulation patterns that may be caused by climate change are threatening populations of the iconic silversword on Haleakalā.
As Climate Warms Hawaiian Forest Birds Lose More Ground to Mosquitoes
ISLAND OF HAWAI‘I, Hawaii — Hawai‘i, the name alone elicits images of rhythmic traditional dancing, breathtaking azure sea coasts and scenes of vibrant birds flitting through lush jungle canopy. Unfortunately, the future of many native Hawaiian birds looks grim as diseases carried by mosquitoes are due to expand into higher elevation safe zones.
Climate Change, Coastal Tribes and Indigenous Communities
Climate change will impact many indigenous communities and may well endanger sacred and traditional living sites, cultural practices, local forests and ecosystems, traditional foods and water quality.
Secretary Jewell Announces New Wildlife and Climate Studies at the Pacific Islands Climate Science Center
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced today that Interior’s Pacific Islands Climate Science Center is awarding over $600,000 to universities and other partners for research to guide managers of parks, refuges and other cultural and natural resources in planning how to help communities, species and ecosystems adapt to climate change.