In The Press

In the late 18th century, when the Hawaiian Kingdom became a sovereign state, Lahaina carried such an abundance of water that early explorers reportedly anointed it “Venice of the Pacific”. A glut of natural wetlands nourished breadfruit trees, extensive taro terraces and fishponds that sustained wildlife and generations of Native Hawaiian families. But more than a century and a half of plantation agriculture, driven by American and European colonists, have depleted Lahaina’s streams and turned biodiverse food forests into tinderboxes.

As Maui County faces a daunting recovery from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century—with at least 115 confirmed deaths as of Tuesday, around 1,000 people still unaccounted for, and a rebuild expected to cost billions of dollars—fears and fights over land and water are highlighting the long history of colonialism and exploitation in the Hawaiian Islands.

Lahaina’s deadly fire has intensified Maui’s fight over water rights. Native Hawaiians say the tragedy is being used as a pretext to roll back their gains in securing water supplies

Mourning the catastrophic loss of Hawaiian culture and history in Lahaina. Lahaina is far more than just a tourist hub.

An international movement geared toward combating climate change by redesigning cities to function more sustainably recently recognized traditional Native Hawaiian strategies presented by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa professor

The "tipping points" are also more numerous than researchers previously realized.

Despite the military being the second largest economic sector, Hawaiians are fed up with their malfeasance.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced it would be closing the Red Hill fuel facility in Hawaiʻi amid a contamination crisis affecting thousands of people on Oʻahu.

US military pollution is a significant contributor to climate change. If it were a nation state, it would be the 47th largest emitter in the world. Their negligence, nuclear testing and disregard for human life has come at a huge environmental cost, and reform needs to be taken into consideration to protect our planet.

Island peoples are at the frontlines of climate change. They are also often isolated and dependent on imports, especially for food. New research in Hawai’i investigates how indigenous agricultural systems may support food security, indigenous sovereignty, and climate change adaptation.