State takes sustainability initiative to global stage

The plan promotes collaboration to hit targets that tackle environmental issues

Article By B.J. Reyes at Star Advertiser

A year ago Hawaii became the first subnational government to sign on to the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership, a pledge from Pacific island nations to take definitive steps in addressing climate change and sustainability challenges.

This week Hawaii is presenting its own initiative on addressing climate, sustainability, renewable energy and natural resource management at the 45th Pacific Islands Forum, an annual gathering of more than 300 delegates from 16 independent and self-governing Pacific states with the stated goal of stimulating economic growth and enhancing governance, security and cooperation in the region through policy advice.

Delegates -- leaders, ministers and senior government officials from member countries and elsewhere -- are gathered in Koror, Republic of Palau, for the forum.

Jacqueline Kozak Thiel, Hawaii's sustainability coordinator, was asked to join the U.S. delegation and speak to a luncheon for the heads of state from the island regions on some of Hawaii's efforts addressing sustainability, climate change, invasive species and the recent Aloha+ Challenge.

"President (Tommy)Remengesau (of Palau) really wanted to give his fellow small island states some more information about the issue of invasive species and how it relates to climate change and sustainability," Kozak-Thiel said by phone from Koror. "He knows that we battle that issue in Hawaii and have some lessons to share.

"But I think the more important piece is that the work that we've been doing in Hawaii is applicable to other Pacific islands, and so having that partnership and recognizing the different priorities and unique priorities of islands was really my main message."

 

Other members of the U.S. delegation include John Podesta, counselor to President Barack Obama and new Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs Esther Kia'aina.

Kozak Thiel also will represent Hawaii as part of the U.S. delegation next month to the United Nations Small Island Developing States Conference in Samoa and present the Aloha+ Challenge to an international audience.

Signed earlier this month by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, the four county mayors and Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Kamana'opono Crabbe, the nonbinding resolution sets six targets to be reached by 2030 in seven sectors of sustainability and preservation of natural resources: clean energy, local food production, natural resource management, waste reduction, smart sustainable communities and green workforce and education.

Among the aspects of the Aloha+ Challenge that Kozak Thiel tries to convey is that sustainability takes measurable commitment and shared leadership.

"I think they really understood that because they did the same here in Micronesia by having all five chief executives -- the three presidents and two governors of Micronesia -- committed to the Micronesia challenge," she said.

"And you can't just look at energy or waste or natural resources in isolation," she added. "All of these issues are interconnected, and that's why there's six targets -- it's really reflecting the different parts of our community, the different parts of our island that we need to work on together."

Overall, she said the Aloha+ Challenge was being well received by delegates. "I think our fellow islanders here are really happy to see Hawaii engaging internationally," she said.