Pacific Pandanus, Issue 5, October 2017

Summary

Welcome back to the Pandanus, a newsletter produced by the Pacific Islands Climate Science Center, created to share updates and highlights of our ongoing climate research and continuing efforts toward climate adaptation through community planning and engagement. Recent years have emphasized the urgency of these adaptation efforts, with the impacts of a changing climate becoming disturbingly more noticeable. Record high temperatures locally and globally, increasing numbers of 1000-yr flood events, record high tide levels, record low minimum arctic ice coverage—all these signs point to shifting conditions that will affect our communities.

The theme of this issue, then, is “When extreme becomes routine.” We will begin with a look at two particular extremes many in the Pacific Basin have been experiencing recently: high temperatures (pg 3) and high seas (pg 5). We will also share some of our science and management highlights, and bring you more information about resources, opportunities, and events.

In this issue…

Extremes become routine, 2

Hotter than hot, 3

Resources and Tools, 4

Higher than high, 5

Resources and Tools, 6

Research Highlights, 7

Planning & Engagement Highlights, 10

Calendar, 12

Opportunities, 12

Staff in Focus, 13