Beachgoers walk along small portion of uncovered beach during a King Tide. Photo credit: Hawaii Sea Grant

Hawai`i Sea Grant partnered with the City and County of Honolulu on a joint application that secured a $1 million grant from the non-profit 100 Resilient Cities to improve Honolulu’s resilience to current physical, social, and economic challenges. Honolulu’s mid-Pacific location and heavy reliance on imported goods and services makes it highly vulnerable to natural disasters including hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding, and rising sea levels. These hazards could damage critical coastal infrastructure such as the airport, power plants, port and harbors, and potentially devastate Honolulu’s in-port dependent economy.

The 100 Resilient Cities non-profit awarded the City and County of Honolulu a $1 million grant over a two to three year period. At the City’s request, Hawaii Sea Grant conducted two site tours for City and County of Honolulu staff, community leaders, and the Rockefeller Foundation 100 Resilient Cities liaison in December 2016 and identified Hawaii Sea Grant as a critical partner in project implementation.