Climate-related disasters once seemed distant from us in Hawaii because they were occurring elsewhere in the world. Suddenly, however, the Lahaina wildfire brought home the reality that climate change is a global phenomenon that is inescapable. Our hearts go out to the disaster victims and their families.
Although not the sole cause of the Lahaina wildfire, climate change amplified it. For example, climate change contributed to the large amounts of dry invasive grass that fueled the wildfire and the strong winds that moved it so quickly that escape was impossible for many people.
Lahaina is a window to climate reality, where more intense wildfires, storms, floods, heatwaves, hurricanes and droughts will become more common globally. Our world is so interconnected that these disasters will impact everyone, everywhere.
“Climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality. For example, projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme weather events, and reductions in water availability may all result in reduced agricultural productivity,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Observed climate change is already affecting food security,” states the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Hawaii is particularly vulnerable to food security issues since about 85% of our food is imported. A drought thousands of miles away that reduces agricultural production there can affect the availability of food here in Hawaii.
Hawaii’s entire economy is at risk of climate change because it is so dependent on tourism. The United Nation World Tourism Organization says that “the tourism sector is highly vulnerable to climate change.”
Climate change has already impacted insurance because it increases the risk of property damage. Climate change has led to an estimated average increase of 12% in homeowner premiums in only one year, according to Benjamin Keys, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Farmers Insurance recently notified the state of Florida that it was dropping home, auto and umbrella policies there. It is the fourth company to leave the Florida market in the last year, with most citing rising risks from hurricanes.
Climate change impacts are so widespread that, ultimately, “climate change will harm the U.S. economy, even with modest amounts of warming,” says the Energy Policy Institute. An increase in the average global temperature of 2° Celsius would reduce the gross domestic product of North America by an estimated 6.9%, according to a study by the Swiss Re Institute.
It doesn’t matter if one lives in Hawaii, China or anywhere else on the planet. We must act collectively to reverse the trend of fossil fuel consumption so that Earth remains livable. However, fossil fuels are so integrated with our economy and our lifestyles that the transition to a clean, renewable energy future will be difficult.
Fortunately, we have made the first steps to reverse the trend. For example, Hawaii has tens of thousands of rooftop solar installations. We are transitioning the generation of electricity by public utilities to clean, renewable sources. The sale of electric vehicles is accelerating. And although there’s still a long way to go, we have the necessary tools to get there.
Lahaina serves as our window to climate reality and the destabilizing, disastrous threats of climate change. However, we can change this view to one that sustains and nurtures life and supports thriving communities. We must work together and commit to achieving a clean, renewable, sustainable energy future.
Many bills will be introduced in the 2024 legislative session that take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For the sake of humanity, we urge the state Legislature to pass a robust set of those bills.
Helen Cox, former Kauai Community College chancellor, chairs the Kauai Climate Action Coalition; Sophie Pager, an ‘Iolani School senior, is youth action leader for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
