HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — To prevent further degradation of Pacific island ecosystems, cultural resources, infrastructure, human health and livelihoods, the University of Guam contributed to the Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment, the university announced in a press release.
The NCA 5 is a detailed report on climate change risks, impacts and responses that is delivered to Congress and the president every four years.
Representatives from UOG and the Office of the Governor of Guam were among the 16 authors and 41 technical contributors who wrote and reviewed a chapter on Hawaii and U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands.
The contributors from Guam are as follow, according to NCA 5:
- UOG Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, Romina King.
- UOG Water and Environmental Research Institute, Myeong-Ho Chris Yeo.
- UOG Marine Laboratory, Laurie J. Raymundo.
- UOG Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, John I. Borja.
- Office of the Governor of Guam, Carlotta A. Leon Guerrero.
King serves as the UOG lead for the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, which provided support as an author for the chapter. Yeo, Raymundo, Borja and Leon Guerrero were technical contributors.
“As island communities, we must always be prepared to face these unfortunate new realities, and it starts with staying informed. We hope the information we have curated for this report will be an effective resource in the decision-making process,” King, who holds a doctorate in geography, said in the release.
The regional chapter emphasizes the negative impacts of climate change on human health and food, rising sea levels, tropical ecosystems and biodiversity and Indigenous peoples.
“A key addition to the National Climate Assessment since its last edition in 2018 is the chapter’s key message on human health and its emphasis on food security, integration of Indigenous knowledge and recognition of data inequities for the Pacific islands and U.S. Caribbean,” UOG said in the release.
The full National Climate Assessment can be found at: nca2023.globalchange.gov.
An informative webinar on the Hawaii and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands chapter will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday Guam time. Register for free at: https://url.uog.edu/ethtJo.
An infographic shows the effects of climate change. The University of Guam and the Office of the Governor contributed data to the 2024 U.S. National Climate Assessment.
