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WRRC/Ike Wai Seminar

Honolulu’s Resilience in the 21st Century

by: Mr. Matthew Gonser,
Coastal and Water Program Manager,
Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency

Resilience for a city is the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses,and systems to survive, adapt, and thrive, no matter what kind of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience. To address these needs, 0‘ahu’s voters approved a City Charter amendment in 2016 to create an Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. Several months prior, Honolulu was selected for the third and final round of the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities network joining global cities in addressing pressing 21st century challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and globalization. This presentation will familiarize you with the Office and its charter mandate; how to approach resilience through assessing and addressing shocks and stress, which includes identifying challenges early and near-term actions already taken; and participate in a live interactive survey.

Matthew joined the City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change. Sustainability and Resiliency in October 2017. His position generally deals with coastal and water issues, with a focus on community planning and design, natural hazards mitigation, sea level rise and climate change adaptation, and green infrastructure and stormwater management. Matthew also manages the development of a Resilience Strategy through the City’s award from the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities Program. He earned a BS in Natural Resources Ecology and Management, and masters degrees in both Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture from Cornell University.

Event Sponsor
Water Resources Research Center/Ike Wai, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Niels Grobbe, (808) 956-5857, ngrobbe@hawaii.edu