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Rising sea levels, coupled with recent storm surges, have caused erosion faster than usual on Hawaii’s beaches and coastlines.
“The coastal problems associated with climate change are kind of like canaries in the coal mine,” said Tara Owens, coastal hazards specialist, This Week co-host Martha Raddatz. “Everyone who lives here in Hawaii is an oceanographer. … you look at the tide … you pay attention to the waves. You cannot ignore or bury the problems because you see them every day. “
According to a recent ProPublica report, three of Hawaii’s major islands have lost about a quarter of their beaches. Sea levels also rise about an inch every four years, threatening 70% of the Hawaiian coastline, according to Hawaii’s state website.
Owens said that on Maui alone, 85 percent of the coast is eroding, making the beaches “narrow”.
“Here in Hawaii … our community is very conscious and engaged, and I think this is something we need to share with the rest of the country who may not see what we see,” Owens continued.
In response to the United Nations’ latest report “Code Red for Humanity” – and a possible loss of assets of 3 billion US dollars in the next few years, “said Maui Mayor Mike Victorino, Hawaii became the first state to declare a climate emergency.
“If we don’t do something today, we will lose all the beauty, many of our beaches not just in this state, around the world,” Victorino told Raddatz.
Victorino has accused fossil fuel companies of playing an important role in the impact of climate change on Maui. According to a study by the Hawaii State Energy Office, the state expects to pay “at least $ 19 billion in losses from rising sea levels alone.”
“The fossil fuel industry has not dealt directly with the people of the world, an island state like us, all island states like us, and island states are the ones that suffer the fastest,” said the mayor.
Victorino has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the county to hold some companies accountable. Other federal states and municipalities have also filed more than 26 lawsuits.
The rising tide is also endangering condominiums, homes, and hotels – including the home of Filemon Sadang, a fisherman who was born and raised on the island of Maui.
If, “[the] The ocean was way out at sea, about 50 meters, “said Sadang, adding that the coastline has receded enormously since then.
Sadang blamed climate change for the rising tide. “We are afraid of losing our place, everyone is afraid of losing our place. We have to do something now.”
Dam walls and sandbags have been used as temporary solutions to protect properties and coastlines. However, they have adverse effects. After years of use, they have exponentially accelerated beach erosion by ripping open the ocean floor and preventing natural sand replenishment.
To prevent further damage, local Hawaii officials introduced a policy of non-tolerance to new levees back in 1999.
However, private property owners were able to bypass the policy by applying for an exemption. The state has provided more than 230 since then, according to a report by Honolulu Star Advertiser and ProPublica.
“We are really suffering from erosion from sea level rise secondary to global warming,” said John Seebart, a representative on endangered beachfront condominiums in west Maui. “So that’s the big deal,” he told Raddatz.
“When you look at this building, how at risk do you think it will disappear if no action is taken?” asked Raddatz.
“I’m not an engineer, but … if we had a big storm, it could go this season,” warned Seebart.
Seebart pointed out flooding of basements, water in parking lots and sinkholes with a depth of “12 to 15 feet”.
His team has been working on long-term fixed points like footbridges – a long and narrow structure that can be used to protect the coast from erosion. According to Seebart, smaller T-shaped bridges, which he called “ledges”, are being created in order to remedy the problem of erosion exacerbated by the sandbags.
Seebart said the jetties hold and “tumble” the sand at the same time to create a “more natural beach”.
In addition to residential houses and other buildings, roads are also at risk.
Victorino mentioned the threat to the streets of Maui, saying that waves are rolling over the streets due to the high sea levels and the tides.
“It really hurts us as a community because now it cuts us off sometimes,” he said.
These include roads like the Honoapiilani Highway, a main road that connects the west side of Maui with the rest of the island. Lauren Blickley, regional manager for the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental group, said over 20,000 people live across the highway, relying on it as their only access to the hospital and city center.
“This freeway was built too close, and we literally have waves here that wash up and undermine the road,” said Blickley, standing next to the freeway as the waves almost washed over her feet.
“In order to permanently solve the problem we are dealing with, we have to move away from the ocean. The ocean will always win. Whether it wins this year or in 10 years or in 20 years is the question.” said Blickley.
The United Nations reported that the rise in sea levels, which is driving the population inland, and the rise in temperature of the oceans are due to the rise in global temperature. The report also found the earth is dangerously close to global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to the UN report, populations will experience heat extremes when global warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius. The report says these extremes are likely to affect natural water production, agriculture, and overall health.
The effects of rising ocean temperatures will inevitably penetrate the food chain. According to Stefanie Sekich-Quinn, Coastal Protection Manager at the Surfrider Foundation, there will be a “chain reaction” if coral reefs are not protected.
“If we don’t have corals to feed fish, fish can’t sustain our diet,” said Sekich-Quinn. “Corals and other components help absorb wave energy. So if we start losing our corals, we will have more intense storms and possibly more sea level rise.”
Warming water can also cause coral bleaching. “Essentially, the algae that live in the corals are getting too hot and they are self-evicting,” said Sekich-Quinn.
According to a UN climate report published in early August, scientists predict that 90% of coral reefs will die by 2050.
“Here in Hawaii we have these traditional principles that are really the foundation of life here. And one of them is Malama Ina. [It] means protecting them, taking care of our land, “Blickley said.” We have a certain responsibility, wherever we are, to protect the oceans, to protect our ways, to protect our beaches and to protect what we do to have.”
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