Improving the Availability and Accessibility of Climate Data and Information for Users in Hawai‘i, American Sāmoa, and Guam

Changes in Earth’s climate are increasingly affecting natural resources in Hawai‘i and on many other Pacific Islands and territories. Increasing temperatures, decreasing rainfall, and more intense droughts and severe storms are just some of the challenges faced by resource managers. Therefore, the need for high-quality reliable climate data and translated products that can be used to proactively plan for changing environmental conditions has never been greater. Working with partners through the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Centers (PI-CASC), this project is focused on the co-creation of several new datasets and knowledge products to be utilized by a wide range of users including researchers, resource managers, educators, and the community at large. The research addresses four primary objectives: 1) Analyze how participatory climate change scenario planning can be used to inform management plans; 2) Improve data availability in American Sāmoa and Guam including the development of high-resolution historical rainfall maps; 3) Develop cyber-infrastructure on the Hawai‘i Climate Data Portal (HCDP) to make Guam and American Sāmoa rainfall maps available for streamlined visualization and download; and 4) Work with local partners and community leaders in Hawai‘i, Guam, and American Sāmoa to develop climate knowledge products using a previously demonstrated co-production approach.