Hawai'i Green Growth set ambitious targets in the areas of clean energy, local food, natural resource management, waste reduction, smart sustainable communities and green workforce to build a more secure, sustainable and resilient economy for Hawai'i by 2030.

HGG 2030 Target: Clean Energy
70% clean energy - 40% from renewables & 30% from efficiency

2030 Target Background
The State of Hawai'i adopted an ambitious energy target into state law in 2008 - achieve 70% clean energy by 2030, with 40% from renewable energy sources and 30% from efficiency.

Leadership in Clean Energy
The Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) launched in 2008 as a partnership between the State of Hawai'i and the U.S. Department of Energy (link) to lead the way on Hawai'i's clean energy goals.

http://www.hawaiicleanenergyinitiative.org/
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/office_eere/

The Hawai'i Energy Policy Forum (HEPF) is a unique experiment in collaborative energy planning and policy making. It includes representatives from business, government, and the community.
The State Energy Office in the Department of Business, Economic Development, & Tourism (DBEDT), HEPF, Blue Planet Foundation, Ulupono Initiative, and Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) guide HGG's work in clean energy.

http://www.hawaiienergypolicy.hawaii.edu/
http://energy.hawaii.gov/
http://blueplanetfoundation.org/
http://ulupono.com/
http://www.hawaiianelectric.com/portal/site/heco

Measuring Progress
To ensure the State of Hawai'i is reaching its clean energy target, energy stakeholders are developing a variety of indicators to track progress:

• The Blue Planet Foundation launched Hawai'i's first Energy Report Card in 2013 to track annual progress on the state's clean energy target.
• The Hawai'i Energy Policy Forum developed a set of indicators with guidance from a broad stakeholder group and professional experts to measure and report progress on Hawa'ʻi's clean energy goals and objectives.

HGG's Sustainability Measures Start-Up Project (link to Priorities- Measures- Current Priorities page) is working with these partners, the Counties and others statewide to agree on a credible set of practical, public statewide sustainability indicators to inform decision-makers and the public on progress on our six sustainability targets.

http://www.hawaiienergyreportcard.org/
http://www.hawaiienergypolicy.hawaii.edu/programs-initiatives/clean-energy-metrics/online/index.html)

Bright Spots
A bright spot is an inspiring example of a successful collaboration for sustainability that demonstrates how working with new or diverse partners accelerates and broadens success.

Learn more about clean energy bright spots in Hawaiʻi (link to bright spots page)

Celeste Connors
Executive Director

Celeste Connors has twenty years of experience working at the intersection of economic, environment, energy, and international development policy. Before joining Hawaii Green Growth, she was CEO and co-founder of cdots development LLC, which works to build resilient infrastructure and services in vulnerable communities. Celeste previously served as the Director for Environment and Climate Change at the National Security Council and National Economic Council in the White House where she helped shape the Administration's climate and energy policies. Prior to joining the White House, Celeste served as a diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Germany. She also held positions at the U.S. Mission to the UN, served as the Climate and Energy Advisor to the Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and worked for City of New York.

Celeste is faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in the Energy, Resources and Environment Program. She holds an MSc in Development Studies from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a BA in International Relations from Tufts University. Celeste is a Term Member on the Council on Foreign Relations, member of Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) Steering Committee, and serves on the board of America’s Service Commission. Celeste grew up in Kailua, Oahu.

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Breanna Rose
Operations & Partnerships Director

Breanna Rose is Hawai‘i Green Growth's Operations and Partnerships Manager, and has worked with HGG since 2012. She manages the public-private-partnership's network, operations, communications, and strategic priorities. She is President of the Board of Directors for Kanu Hawai‘i, a non-profit working to build more compassionate, resilient, and sustainable communities through island style action and personal commitments. She previously worked with the Green House Hawai‘i in sustainability education programs with school communities and as an instructor for the Urban Agriculture Program at the Institute for Human Services (IHS). She has worked with diverse organizations and initiatives including Paepae o He‘eia, Hawai‘i 2050, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and community garden and urban agriculture projects. Breanna is a graduate of the University of San Francisco, and was born and raised on Maui.

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Chelsea Harder
Sustainability Dashboard Coordinator

Chelsea Harder is Hawai‘i Green Growth’s Sustainability Dashboard Coordinator, and is leading the implementation of the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard. Chelsea brings her background in engineering, community development, education and energy sector work to Hawai‘i Green Growth. Before joining the team, Chelsea served as the market transformation specialist at Hawai‘i Energy. There she managed projects and fellowship programs to enhance strategic partnerships and provide professional development and community education to shift the market to help achieve Hawai‘i’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2045. Previously, she was a STEM educator and program director at local public and private schools and worked as a geotechnical engineer in the midwest. Chelsea served in Kiribati as a Peace Corps volunteer where she implemented programs aimed at improving the health of the community and improving their resilience to climate change. Chelsea is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources & Leadership for Sustainability at the University of Vermont, holds a degree in Civil Engineering from University of Minnesota and studied abroad in Advanced Environmental Measurements Techniques (AEMT) program at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden. She is a Senior Fellow through the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) National cohort. Chelsea is from northern Minnesota and has lived in Hawai‘i for nearly a decade.

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Julius Fischer
Project Coordinator, Ala Wai Watershed and Sustainability Business Forum

Julius Fischer is Hawaiʻi Green Growth’s Project Coordinator for the Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration and the Sustainable Business Forum. Before joining HGG, he worked for the Hawaiʻi State Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. Previously, he was a Fellow for the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA), a voluntary partnership of islands across the globe that catalyzes action on resilient and sustainable island communities by mobilizing high-level political leadership. Born and raised in Germany, he has lived in New Zealand, Japan, and Micronesia. Julius holds a BA in International Relations and BS in Earth Systems from Stanford University, and a Master in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

 

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Interns and Fellows

Laura Kam
AmeriCorps VISTA Sustainability Intern

Laura Kam is Hawai‘i Green Growth’s AmeriCorps VISTA Sustainability Intern, a position hosted in partnership with Kupu Hawai‘i and the AmeriCorps Program. She supports HGG’s partnership operations, meetings and events, and outreach. Laura completed her undergraduate studies at Colorado State University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Environmental Affairs, and studied Russian for a year before returning to Hawai‘i. Laura previously interned with Amnesty International USA, and has volunteered with the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, The Nature Conservancy at Kamakou and Mo‘omomi Preserves, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Midway Atoll. She currently volunteers in public outreach for the National Marine Fisheries Service Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. Laura is from O‘ahu, and graduated from Kalani High School.

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Genelle Watkins
Sustainability Dashboard Fellow

Genelle Watkins is the Sustainability Dashboard Fellow with Hawai’i Green Growth, supporting the online Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard. She currently attends the University of Hawai’i of Mānoa and is working towards obtaining her Master's degree in Natural Resources & Environmental Management, focusing on Land and Water Resources. Her interests are rooted in conservation, restoration, and sustainability. At her undergraduate institution, the University of La Verne, her Bachelor’s degree was in Integrative Biology with a concentration on Environmental Science. Her past experiences within that institution included working with local elementary school students and faculty to analyze diesel toxicity within the community. At UH Mānoa, Genelle’s research looks at community-based mangrove management in Zanzibar, East Africa. She is working with local communities to develop a strategy to conserve and restore mangrove forests to help protect the island’s coastline. She currently chairs the Sustainability committee in UH’s Graduate Student Organization. Genelle has a passion for sustainability and hopes to better this planet through citizen science research that directly involves people and communities to make a positive global impact.

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Kiara Kealoha
Communications Fellow

Kiara Kealoha is a Communications Fellow with Hawai‘i Green Growth, and is currently pursuing a Master's degree at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She previously served at as a Communications & Community Coordinator for the partnership, as well as worked with KYA Sustainability and as an education project assistant for the Climate-KIC Switzerland. Kiara completed her undergraduate education at Harvard University, obtaining a degree in History and Science with a secondary field in Environmental Science and Public Policy. Kiara is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, and was born and raised on the island of O‘ahu.

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Progress on the Aloha+ Challenge

Hawai'i's six elected Chief Executives (Governor, four Mayors, and Chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs) formally signed the Aloha+ Challenge Declaration, a statewide commitment to six sustainability targets for 2030 at a press conference on July 7, 2014. The Twenty-Seventh Legislature passed a resolution endorsing the Aloha+ Challenge with strong support from the House and Senate.

The US Department of State also officially invited Hawai'i to join the US delegation for the Third United Nations Conference on Small Island Developing States (UNSIDS 2014) and Hawaiʻi will be announcing the Aloha+ Challenge internationally at a high-level Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) event in Samoa in early September.

Achievements in International Engagement
Hawai'i Green Growth promotes targeted international exchanges for key Hawai'i leaders, and facilitates Hawai'i participation and hosting of international events and exchanges focused on sustainability.

Hawai'i Green Growth has strategically engaged in key international events:

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Washington Place Reception for Ambassador Jumeau
September 10, 2013 in Honolulu, Hawai'i
Hosted by the State of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Green Growth

Governor Neil Abercrombie accepted Ambassador Jumeau's invitation to join the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) and "step up and step forward as an island leader" with an international commitment to sustainability at a GLISPA high-level event in 2014. Over 130 diverse leaders attended the Washington Place reception to honor Ambassador Jumeau and highlight The Role of Islands on Global Sustainability Issues.

Continue Reading (PDF download)

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Island Summit at United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity, Conference of the Parties (CBD COP-11)
October 16, 2012 in Hyberadad, India
Hosted by the Global Island Partnership

Hawai'i's international leadership in green growth was featured at the Island Summit held at the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity, Conference of the Parties (CBD COP-11) on October 16, 2012. William Aila, Chair of Hawai'i's Department of Land & Natural Resources, led a four-person Hawai'i delegation to share lessons with other islands in GLISPA's interactive event on Island Innovations: Celebrating Bright Spots, Leadership and Successes in Island Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods.

Continue Reading (PDF download)

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World Conservation Congress 2012
September 6-15, 2012 in Jeju, South Korea
Hosted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Hawaiʻi Green Growth helped shape Hawai'i's message for its international debut at the 2012 World Conservation Congress (WCC) in Jeju, South Korea. Organized by Chipper Wichman, Hawai'i brought a delegation of over 40 leaders and conservation professionals to showcase trend-setting work on the essential connection between nature conservation and food security, climate change, economic development, people and governance. Hawai'i hosted a successful VIP reception for conservation leaders around the world, where Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz, University of Hawai'i President MRC Greenwood, and Chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Colette Machado demonstrated high level and diverse political support for Hawai'i's bid to host the next World Conservation Congress in 2016. If successful, the 2016 Congress would be an outstanding opportunity to focus attention on progress on our sustainability targets when the world "comes to visit".

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Hawai'i Briefing with US Ambassador Tong at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2011
August 9, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii
Hosted by APEC & Hawaiʻi Green Growth

"Hawaii has the potential to be a pioneer and advocate for green growth," said U.S. Ambassador Kurt Tong, Senior Official to APEC, at the APEC 2011 and Green Growth Hawaii Briefing in Honoluly on August 9, 2011.

The briefing was attended by Hawaii leaders from government, business and civil society in key positions to help Hawaii build a green economy for the future. Organized by Hawaii Green Growth and the Global Island Partnership, the briefing provided an opportunity to learn about U.S. priorities to promote green growth with APEC partners and to explore opportunities for Hawaiʻi to engage in this national and international agenda.

Continue Reading (PDF download)

Hawai'i Green Growth's top priority is to launch the Aloha+ Challenge, a statewide sustainability commitment with measurable 2030 targets supported by state, county, business and community leaders.

Hawai'i has a unique opportunity to build a more secure, sustainable and resilient economy at a manageable scale while sharing and learning with other islands around the world. Hawai'i can position itself internationally as a pioneer and innovative example of green (and blue) growth and to use this role to:

• Accelerate action at home on state, county and private sector sustainability plans
• Increase support from key public and private partners
• Create new economic opportunities in clean energy, food security, natural resource management, waste reduction, climate resilience, smart growth and green workforce development.

Hawai'i Green Growth's international objective is to strengthen Hawai'i's international partnerships and engagement through:

• Catalyzing a Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) commitment by Hawai'i leadership to accelerate action on sustainability at home
• Facilitating Hawai'i participation & hosting of international events & exchanges focused on sustainability

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard Launch

Hawai‘i Green Growth launched the online Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard in April 2015 with the County Mayors, Office of Hawaiian Affairs leadership, University of Hawaii President, Legislators, and over 150 sustainability leaders at the Hawai‘i State Captiol. The online dashboard is an easy-to-understand tool for decision makers and the public to track progress on Hawai'i's sustainability goals. The pilot dashboard features indicators to track progress on two Aloha+ Challenge targets - clean energy and solid waste reduction - at state and county levels.

Statewide Process 

In 2013, Hawai'i Green Growth designed the Sustainability Measures Start-up Project and recruited a collaborative team from county sustainability offices, state agencies, university, private sector and statewide associations working on statewide sustainability measures.

The project launched in January 2014, and HGG held four successful meetings in Honolulu, Kaua'i, Maui, & Hawai‘i Island convening over 100 statewide, public-private representatives from energy, food, natural resources, waste, smart growth, green education & jobs, tourism, business, and the military to develop shared indicators & build the foundation for a statewide network while strengthening county-based action networks.

County Sustainability Briefings

In addition, HGG co-hosted sustainability briefings on Kaua‘i, Maui, & Hawai‘i Island with the counties and local private & non-profits partners in each county to help strengthen county-based action networks and highlight local and statewide action. See highlights & photos from statewide metings and county briefings:

• Kaua‘i Sustainability Briefing and 2nd Statewide Measures Meeting
• Maui Sustainability Briefing and 3rd Statewide Measures Meeting
• Hawai‘i Island Sustainability Briefing and 4th Statewide Measures Meeting

For more details about this project, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hawai'i Green Growth launched the Sustainability Measures Start-Up Project is working with state agencies, the four Counties and partner organizations to building upon existing metrics projects in Hawai'i and develop practical, public sustainability indicators to track progress on the Aloha+ Challenge targets: clean energy, local food, natural resources, waste reduction, smart sustainable communities, and green workforce & education. The start-up project timeframe is from January 2014 through July 2015.

The project will be selecting indicators for two of the six Aloha+ Challenge targets in 2014 - clean energy and waste reduction - to feature on the state sustainability dashboard, which will be launched in early 2015. The project will also outline a process to add the other targets in the future, as each sector is ready. The target audiences for the state sustainabilty dashboard are key decision makers, the general public, and members of statewide and county-based sustainability action networks.

Concurrently, the project will strengthen statewide and county-based sustainability networks committed to collaborative action and progress on shared sustainability targets.