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Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Climate Adaptation Actions to O—C-1r atad Integrated Climate Action Plan for the Island of Hawal'i Build Local Resilience to Climate Change *��►�� KEY TERMS Carbon sequestration refers to actions that remove carbon from the atmosphere. Cascading effects refers to the network of interactions between human activities causing climate change and the impacts of climate change on community systems. These cascading effects are of greater magnitude than any individual element of the network. Climate adaptation refers to actions that adjust to actual or expected future climate with the goal of reducing risks from the harmful effects of climate change and maximizing any potential benefit opportunities.2 Climate cascade summarizes the cascading effects between human activities causing climate change and the impacts of climate change on community systems. Climate change refers to the long-term (usually at least 30 years) regional or even global average of temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns over seasons, years, or decades.3 Human-induced climate change is resulting in global warming, the long-term heating of Earth's surface. Climate change drivers are greenhouse gases, primarily CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere resulting from human activities over the industrial era, that are the principal drivers of many changes observed across the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere.4 Greenhouse gas emissions from building electricity, energy production, transportation, waste, and land use are considered climate change drivers of focus in the ICAP. Climate change hazard refers to changes in a physical process or event (hydro-meteorological or oceanographic variables or phenomena) driven or amplified by human induced climate change that can harm human health, livelihoods, or natural resources. Drought, extreme rainfall events, sea level rise, and tropical cyclones and storm surge are considered climate change hazards of focus in the ICAP. Climate change indicators are observed climate changes linked to rising levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere caused by human activities.6 Increasing air and sea surface temperature and ocean acidification are considered climate change indicators of focus in the ICAP. Climate mitigation refers to actions that reduce the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, either by reducing sources of these gases or enhancing the sinks that accumulate and store these gases. Climate mitigation and "GHG reduction" are used interchangeably throughout this document:6 • GHG sources refers to processes and behaviors that emit GHG, such as burning fossil fuels for electricity and transportation. • GHG sinks refers to processes and behaviors that sequester and store GHG, such as forests, oceans, and soils. 2 NASA, Global Climate Change, https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/ 3NASA, Global Climate Change, https://climate.nasa.gov/qlobal-warming-vs-climate-change/ 4 NASA, Global Climate Change, https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ 5 EPA, Global Climate Change Program, https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators 6 NASA, Global Climate Change, https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/ Key Terms XI I