ABOUT PI-CASC
The Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC) was established by the Department of the Interior (DOI) on October 7, 2011 to address the challenges presented by climate change and variability for federal, state, nongovernmental, community, Indigenous Pacific Islanders, and resource managers in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands region.
About the CASC Network
The Climate Adaptation Science Centers form a network of nine regional centers, established by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and managed by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC).
The mission of the CASCs is:
To deliver science to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate.
The network goal is to provide scientific information, tools, and techniques regarding land, water, wildlife, and cultural resources to managers, community members, and decision-makers in order to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to climate change and variability. Please visit the NCASC and DOI websites for more details on this broad national effort.
About PI-CASC
The Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center spans the Pacific Basin from the Hawaiian Island archipelago to the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The USAPI include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); the unincorporated territories of American Sāmoa, Guam, and the Pacific Remote Islands (PRI); and the Freely Associated States (FAS): the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau. These lands encompass a unique diversity of landscapes, ecosystems, resources, communities, and cultures.
The vision of PI-CASC is:
To develop science and other knowledge products and capabilities designed to support policy and management directed toward the sustainability of interconnected human and ecological communities and the conservation of species of concern in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands.
In such an atmosphere, we aim to encourage and strengthen networks and collaborations in an effort to discover the best methods to adapt to climate change impacts. Alongside fostering ecosystem resilience, we strive to build technological capacity to address today’s climate challenges and student capacity to support the next generation of scientists and resource managers focused on the future of climate adaptation. We also provide funding and collaboration opportunities for researchers, educators, and students through programs across the region.
The Parts of PI-CASC
PI-CASC is hosted by a university consortium, led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, in cooperation with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and the University of Guam, bringing the expertise of this university consortium to work with our Federal partners from the USGS.