Hawaii Residents Deeply Concerned About Sea-Level Rise

New UH survey shows bipartisan consensus on climate threat, desire for immediate action

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A new statewide survey by the University of Hawaii found that the vast majority of Hawaii residents, across political party lines, recognize that sea-level rise is happening and poses a serious threat to the islands. The survey of over 1,300 residents showed that 90% believe sea-level rise is occurring, with 87% attributing it to human activity. Most residents also want lawmakers to take immediate action, though there is less agreement on how to fund mitigation efforts.

Why it matters

As one of the most vulnerable states to the impacts of climate change, Hawaii's residents are acutely aware of the risks posed by rising seas. The survey results demonstrate a strong public mandate for policymakers to prioritize addressing sea-level rise, which threatens the state's beaches, infrastructure, and economy. However, the lack of consensus on funding solutions presents a challenge that will need to be navigated.

The details

The survey found that 89% of Hawaii residents believe sea-level rise will likely cause harm to the state, with 20% reporting already being affected and 32% expecting to be affected within the next 10 years. Notably, 63% of residents feel the state and counties are unprepared to deal with the impacts. While 88% want lawmakers to act immediately, over half said they would not be willing to pay higher taxes or fees to fund mitigation projects. There was more support for other funding mechanisms, such as tax breaks for flood-proofing and government assistance for relocation.

  • The survey was conducted in 2026.

The players

University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization

The research organization that conducted the statewide survey on Hawaii residents' views on sea-level rise.

Colin Moore

An associate professor at the University of Hawaii and one of the researchers who led the survey.

Ketty Loeb

An assistant professor at the University of Hawaii and one of the researchers who led the survey.

Zena Grecni

A researcher at Arizona State University who collaborated on the survey.

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What they’re saying

“The expectation was that folks here in Hawaii would be concerned about sea-level rise, but it was much higher than we ever anticipated.”

— Colin Moore, Associate Professor, University of Hawaii (Star Advertiser)

“We're going to be losing our beaches — we are losing our beaches. That's a tremendous generator of tourism dollars. It's also core to Hawaiian values and culture. This is going to take again lots of investment, lots of policy change, change of zoning laws and permitting. It's going to take the political will to confront the costs, and there's going to be a lot of private land and property owners that will push back, understandably, but it's an issue that we need to make for the public good over the long term.”

— Ketty Loeb, Assistant Professor, University of Hawaii (Star Advertiser)

What’s next

The researchers plan to conduct follow-up surveys to further explore public opinion on funding solutions for sea-level rise mitigation efforts in Hawaii.

The takeaway

The survey results demonstrate a strong bipartisan consensus among Hawaii residents that sea-level rise is a serious threat that requires immediate action from policymakers. However, the lack of agreement on how to pay for mitigation strategies will be a key challenge that lawmakers will need to navigate in order to effectively address this critical issue.