EMPOWERED series explores climate impacts in Hawaii
Mar 29, 2022
Over the past year, KHON2’s EMPOWERED series showcased local solutions to big environmental challenges. Monthly episodes have highlighted the people and organizations taking action now, helping viewers feel hopeful, inspired, and EMPOWERED.
The February episode explored the impacts of climate change and how they are becoming more evident here in the Islands. KHON2 interviewed several local champions of positive change to address issues such as less consistent rainfall, more wildfires, and more frequency of and longer periods of drought — all negative for local food production.
“We need to consider that climate change is going to impact food production around the globe,” said Jesse Cooke, Ulupono Initiative vice president of investments and analytics, who was among those interviewed for the episode. “At the end of the day, Hawaii's food system is incredibly isolated. It’s incredibly vulnerable. And that’s why local food production is so important because it mitigates the risk of widespread hunger in times of emergency, in times of natural disaster, and when food supply chain disruptions occur ...”