By Honolulu Star-Advertiser Editorial Board

Climate change, the global environmental crisis that people once perceived as a faraway worry, is now confronting Hawaii, especially as it affects sea-level rise. Adapting to the threats and curbing their impacts, though, will be a multiple-generational mission.

That’s why the establishment of a high-level Climate Advisory Team (CAT) for the state is an excellent foundational step, and the initial fact-gathering efforts will be crucial in coordinating planning across community, business and government institutions.

By Andrew Gomes for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Gov. Josh Green created a tough assignment in May for the retired leader of a Hawaii real estate investment firm to assemble a team that can recommend policies to minimize climate-related natural disaster impacts in the state.

Now, this six-person volunteer group with expertise in areas that include climate change, environmental law and insurance faces a tough phase of work: coming up with initial results.

Green’s Climate Advisory Team, led by retired Alexander & Baldwin Inc. CEO Chris Benjamin, is about to move from information gathering to crafting solutions that initially will focus on a package of draft bills for the governor to submit for consideration in the upcoming legislative session that begins in January.

Team to Produce Policy Guidance for Climate Resilience and Disaster Recovery

In July 2024, Governor Josh Green, M.D., announced the full slate of members for the Climate Advisory Team (CAT) led by Chris Benjamin, chair of Climate Hawai‘i and a special advisor to the Governor.