LIHUE — Hawaii threw its weight in with five other U.S. states at a recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Poland in an effort to provide leadership in areas for which the federal government isn’t stepping up to the plate.

“We are a small state with big ambition and we believe that big ambition leads to big action,” said Anukriti Hittle, Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation coordinator.

Hittle attended the event with others representing California, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington.

The Kauai community is looking at impacts and mitigations to climate change in things like the West Kauai Community Vulnerability Assessment.

That’s a project of the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, UH Manoa Department of Urban and Regional Planning, and the County of Kauai’s Planning Department. It’s goal is to connect with community members who are familiar with the areas where they live and get their feedback on climate change.

“While the state of Hawaii is generating important information on hazards associated with climate change, the deep, longstanding understanding of these changes is the piece that is often missing,” said representatives of the assessment in announcing the meetings.

Combining local knowledge with climate change science will generate lists of potential impacts and best responses to things like sea level rise and stronger storm activity.

Alongside the potential impacts to infrastructure, buildings and other modern necessities, scientists are looking at ways to help preserve Kauai’s endangered species as the mosquito line creeps to higher elevations with warming temperatures.

That means the introduction of diseases like avian malaria, as well as habitat loss for endangered and endemic species. Ongoing research is looking into ways to save the birds, including mosquito control.

Statewide, the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission has produced an interactive, online map that shows predictions for sea level rise up to 3.2 feet — a prediction that’s set to come to fruition by the year 2100.

Lowering carbon emissions and tracking greenhouse gasses are both on the list of ways to help lessen the effects of climate change both at state and county levels throughout Hawaii.

At the Dec. 12 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, hosted by The Climate Registry and Climate Action Reserve, Hawaii’s Hittle joined many other representatives of U.S. states in acknowledging the urgency of the situation and the need for bipartisan environmental leadership to make headway on a solution.

“Climate change is front and center on our governor’s radar, and our Climate Change Commission believes putting a price on carbon is the most effective single action that will achieve Hawaii’s ambitious goals,” Hittle said.

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Jessica Else, environment reporter, can be reached at 245-0452 or at jelse@thegardenisland.com.