Sequestration

Button for the State Climate Commission's Sequestration. Graphic is an illustration of ohia with mountains in the background.

A Climate Ready Hawai‘i looks to Hawai‘i’s ahupua‘a concept – the Hawaiian tenure system that recognized what happens on the land impacts the nearshore waters and ocean beyond.  Effectively managing watersheds and agricultural lands can protect both the health of coral reefs and the people who depend on them. The actions that we take on natural and working lands (such as forests, ranches and agricultural lands) are crucial to stabilizing watersheds, soils and mitigating flooding that in turn protect coastal and reef systems from  pollution and erosion leaving them more resistant to sea level rise and storms.

To make Hawai‘i climate ready, we aim to engage land and ocean stewards to help craft equitable policies and programs that that will result not only in greenhouse gas (GHG) sequestration, but a multitude of other co-benefits including  meeting local food production goals, water security, protecting and enhancing Hawai‘i’s ecological biodiversity, and a more resilient local economy. By connecting to the communities with kuleana (responsibility) to the land and sea we can begin to assess current state barriers and opportunities for climate- smart landscapes on high quality public and private lands.

How can you help shape climate-smart landscapes? Join us at one of our online community meetings and share your mana‘o (knowledge) on the barriers, opportunities and methods in how Hawai‘i can prioritize actions on natural and working lands.

Email us at [email protected] 

The State’s Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission works closely with its partners like the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Taskforce to provide the full range of mitigation actions to combat climate change.

Locally produced agriculture is a vital part of our economy. Combining cultural wisdom with new scientific methods carbon smart farmers can reduce carbon emissions and improve crop yields through utilizing cover crops, organic farming, agroforestry and other carbon smart practices. ​Here, wetland taro farming demonstrates the role cultural practices can/do play in addressing food and climate resiliency. Photo Credit: Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau Image library.
Locally produced agriculture is a vital part of our economy. Combining cultural wisdom with new scientific methods carbon smart farmers can reduce carbon emissions and improve crop yields through utilizing cover crops, organic farming, agroforestry and other carbon smart practices. ​Here, wetland taro farming demonstrates the role cultural practices can/do play in addressing food and climate resiliency. Photo Credit: Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau Image library.
Ranching/agriculture produces 1.7 MMT CO2 Eq in Hawai'i annually. To address this issue, carbon smart beef cattle ranchers sell products locally and are proactively implementing methane-reducing methods to manage manure, improve soil health, and enhance herd efficiency. Local ranching also provides self-sufficiency for Hawai'i, an important component of resilience. Photo Credit: Leah Laramee, DLNR
Ranching/agriculture produces 1.7 MMT CO2 Eq in Hawai'i annually. To address this issue, carbon smart beef cattle ranchers sell products locally and are proactively implementing methane-reducing methods to manage manure, improve soil health, and enhance herd efficiency. Local ranching also provides self-sufficiency for Hawai'i, an important component of resilience. Photo Credit: Leah Laramee, DLNR
Our forests have a huge role to play in reaching our net neutral goal. Protecting existing forests as well as expanding their footprint will bring a suite of benefits including increasing soil health, recharging our water supply, providing resilient biodiversity, and protecting our reefs from erosion. Photo Credit: Leah Laramee, DLNR
Our forests have a huge role to play in reaching our net neutral goal. Protecting existing forests as well as expanding their footprint will bring a suite of benefits including increasing soil health, recharging our water supply, providing resilient biodiversity, and protecting our reefs from erosion. Photo Credit: Leah Laramee, DLNR

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