Environment Articles
UHERO’s Nori Tarui appointed to Collaborative Research Group on Environmental Economics and Policy
UHERO’s Nori Tarui has been appointed as the Group Leader at the National Institute for Environmental Studies’ (NIES) Collaborative Research Group on Environmental Economics and Evaluation. The Group takes a multidisciplinary approach to analyzing environmental policy. Click here to learn more.
Read MoreNew $2 Million Gift Supports UHERO Research on Wildfire Risk and Land Management
UHERO will play a central role in a new, $2 million research effort funded by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos examining how land-use decisions can reduce wildfire risk across Hawai’i. Researchers at UHERO, ISR, and NREM will examine the costs and benefits of transitioning high-risk lands across the state toward safer and more productive […]
Read MoreEconomic Impact of the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services on the State of Hawai‘i in Fiscal Year 2024
By Paul Bernstein, Christopher Wada, and Kimberly Burnett The Department of Environmental Services (ENV) provides essential wastewater and solid waste services for the City and County of Honolulu, and its operations and capital investments contribute significantly to the local economy. This analysis estimates the economic impact of ENV’s fiscal year 2024 expenditures using the Hawai‘i […]
Read MoreEnduring Impacts of the November 2021 Red Hill Fuel Spill: Health, Social, Economic, and Trust Implications
By Leah Bremer, Tara Sutton, Conrad Newfield, and Ruben Juarez This report presents findings from a follow-up survey conducted in July 2023—about 20 months after the Red Hill water contamination—with 174 people who had participated in earlier CDC/ATSDR studies. The study examines how the disaster affected participants’ health, daily life, finances, and trust in government […]
Read MoreSupporting thriving water futures through education and career pathways: perspectives from the Hawai‘i water sector
By Leah Bremer, Sabrina Wong, Katy Hintzen, and Aurora Kagawa-Viviani In this report, we share insights from representatives from the freshwater sector on how the University of Hawai‘i can best support a thriving water future for Hawai‘i through strengthening educational and career pathways. This research is a multi-department collaboration including the University of Hawai‘i Economic […]
Read MoreEconomic Benefits and Costs of Biological Control: Coffee Berry Borer, Erythrina Gall Wasp, and Fireweed in Hawai‘i
By Christopher A. Wada, Conrad Newfield, and Kimberly M. Burnett This report evaluates the economic costs and benefits associated with biological control efforts targeting three invasive species in Hawai‘i: coffee berry borer (CBB, Hypothenemus hampei), erythrina gall wasp (EGW, Quadrastichus erythrinae), and fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis). Utilizing historical data, expert interviews, and cost-benefit analyses, the study […]
Read MoreWatershed Protection Provides Strong Return on Investment on Kaua‘i
By Conrad Newfield, Nathan DeMaagd, Christopher Wada, Kimberly Burnett, and Leah Bremer Read the full report. Kaua‘i’s native forests play a vital role in sustaining the island’s freshwater resources. These biodiverse ecosystems capture rainfall and fog, allowing water to seep into underground aquifers, which serve as the primary source of drinking water. However, the expansion […]
Read MoreReturn on investment for watershed protection on Kaua‘i
By Conrad Newfield, Nathan DeMaagd, Christopher Wada, Kimberly Burnett, and Leah Bremer Native forests provide many societal benefits, including protecting freshwater resources that provide drinking water and sustain culturally, economically, and ecologically valuable springs, streams, and groundwater dependent ecosystems. The objectives of this report are to: (1) model future management scenarios for Kaua‘i’s native forests […]
Read MoreScaling biocultural initiatives can support nature, food, and culture from summit to sea
Biocultural nature-based solutions provide many social, cultural, and ecological benefits. Yet, there has been little research on related land-sea societal benefits, hindering our ability to finance and scale these solutions. To help fill this gap, we evaluate the land-sea benefits of scaling biocultural restoration initiatives in Hawaiʻi, including multi-strata agroforestry and high-elevation silvopasture combined with […]
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