Honolulu's Resilience Office receives $1M EPA grant - Spectrum News

Honolulu's Resilience Office receives $1M EPA grant

HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency has just been given the green light to expand its Climate Champions Program through 2026 with $1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Grant.

The six community-based organizations in the agency’s Climate Champions Program include KEY Project, Trees for Honolulu’s Future, Malama Loko Ea Foundation, MAʻO Organic Farms, Malama Learning Center, and the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization.

The program pairs these organizations with “climate champions” from the community to implement a co-designed climate adaptation project over the summer, according to a news release.

“I have tasked our team with tackling community equity, optimizing federal resources, and driving climate adaptation initiatives – this program epitomizes the power of collaboration,” stated Mayor Rick Blangiardi in the release. “When community leadership, city objectives and resources are harmonized, the possibilities for climate adaptation efforts on our island are boundless.”

The Climate Champions Program began in 2023 with five community-based organizations aimed at creating greater collaboration between the community and the city toward climate adaptation efforts, proactively preparing for and adapting to the impacts of a changing climate.

“Stopping greenhouse gas pollution is a global kuleana, and adapting to climate hazards is a local, shared kuleana that is best driven by the community itself,” said Alexander Yee, coastal and water program manager for the Resilience Office.

“These grant funds will support projects that will make the community safer and more prepared and will advance the organizations’ mission as well as implement aspects of the city’s first-ever climate adaptation strategy, Climate Ready Oahu,” said Yee.

Climate Ready Oahu looks at long-term solutions to what it sees as the five main climate hazards impacting Oahu – sea level rise and coastal erosion, rising temperatures and extreme heat, flash flooding, drought and wildfire and hurricanes. It highlights 12 strategies and 57 actions that everyone can take to prepare and protect their communities.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.