State-Level Climate Security Education: Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi faces significant economic and security risks from sea level rise, wildfires, and drought, which threaten both civilian infrastructure and critical US military hubs like Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. While federal agencies provide essential monitoring and recovery support, proposed FY 2026 budget cuts would eliminate key programs such as the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, potentially reducing disaster relief and hindering climate adaptation efforts.

• Hawaiʻi has experienced severe economic losses from weather and climate disasters, with Hurricane Iniki (1992) costing an estimated $6.9 billion and the 2023 Maui wildfires costing approximately $5.7 billion. The state is planning over $6 billion in adaptation solutions for chronic sea level rise, and coral reef loss could result in annual economic losses of up to $1.3 billion by 2050 under a high-emissions scenario.
• Climate-driven hazards threaten critical US military infrastructure in Hawaiʻi. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, valued at $28.88 billion, has a lowest elevation point of 0.6 feet below sea level. The US Coast Guard Base Honolulu at Sand Island is vulnerable to flooding and sea level rise, which threatens the state's largest wastewater treatment plant that serves both residential and military facilities.
• Federal agencies provide critical climate monitoring and disaster response in Hawaiʻi. NOAA operates the Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory to monitor greenhouse gases and has provided $139.5 million in grants for climate resilience. The USGS provides coastal storm modeling used by the Department of Defense for vulnerability assessments, and FEMA has issued 19 Major Disaster Declarations and 18 Fire Management Assistance Declarations since 2005.
• Proposed FY 2026 budget cuts would significantly reduce Hawaiʻi's climate capacity. A $1.3 billion reduction for NOAA would impact hurricane tracking and dismantle regional climate adaptation partnerships. The elimination of the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program could cancel a $68 million award for resilience against extreme weather and coastal change.
• Proposed USGS budget cuts of $558 million (38%) would eliminate the Ecosystems Mission Area, resulting in the loss of the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center. This would end partnerships for co-producing climate research on coastal hazards, drought, and wildfire risk. A 30% cut to the Natural Hazards Mission Area would hinder science used to mitigate risks from volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
• Proposed FEMA budget cuts of $646 million and changes to the disaster declaration process would reduce available recovery funding. Capping federal cost shares at 75% would have cost Hawaiʻi an estimated $136 million in public assistance between 2008 and 2024. Additionally, the cancellation of Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants puts over three-quarters of the projects in Maui’s Hazard Mitigation Plan at risk.

APA

The Council on Strategic Risks (2025). State-Level Climate Security Education: Hawaiʻi. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2025/12/04/state-level-climate-security-education-hawai%CA%BBi/

Chicago

The Council on Strategic Risks. State-Level Climate Security Education: Hawaiʻi. 2025. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2025/12/04/state-level-climate-security-education-hawai%CA%BBi/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=The Council on Strategic Risks |title=State-Level Climate Security Education: Hawaiʻi |date=4 December 2025 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2025/12/04/state-level-climate-security-education-hawai%CA%BBi/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thecouncilonstrategicrisks2025statelevel, author = {{The Council on Strategic Risks}}, title = {{State-Level Climate Security Education: Hawaiʻi}}, institution = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2025/12/04/state-level-climate-security-education-hawai%CA%BBi/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }