Mālama Interviews State Sustainability Coordinator

Article via Sierra Club Hawaii Mālama Newsletter

As a sign of the importance of self-sufficiency to our islands, in 2013 Governor Abercrombie created the position of State Sustainability Coordinator and appointed Jacqueline Kozak Thiel, an environmentalist with more than ten years’ experience working with communities in Hawai‘i, to the post. Thiel came to Maui right out of college to work as an Americorps intern at Haleakala and Kalaupapa National Parks. The assignment was followed by a four-year stint on the Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee, after which Thiel became the statewide Communications Coordinator for the Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council. She also earned an M.A. in urban and regional planning from UHM.

 

Although Thiel has an office in the Department of Land and Natural Resources, there is no official “Office of Sustainability” or dedicated staff. But there are goals, Hawai‘i’s interconnected sustainability goals, enshrined in Act 181—Way of Life, Economy, Environment and Natural Resources, Community and Social Well-Being, and Kanaka Maoli and Island Values. Although she claims to be focusing on all five, the ones she mentions most often— besides education—fall into Goal 3, environment and natural resources. Just look at the list of her priorities: the transformation to clean energy, local food production, natural resource management, waste reduction, green jobs creation, climate change adaptation, and smart growth.

Thiel notes that we already have an ambitious target set for energy through the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (70% clean energy by 2030). Our next step is to develop “measurable targets for all our sustainability goals with implementation strategies that track our progress. This will help translate our vision of sustainability into collaborative action.” She is currently working with Hawai‘i Green Growth, a public-private partnership, to support the governor, mayors, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and legislators in making a shared commitment to sustainability with 2030 targets called the Aloha+ Challenge: He Nohona 'Ae 'Oia (A Culture of Sustainability). Probably because of her focus on
community outreach on Kaua'i, Thiel believes that "sustainability needs to happen at a community level, led by those who live in the place, know it well and already, and will continue to care for it.” She wants to build a statewide network connecting communities and experts to share best practices. She says, “As just one person with a limited budget, it is really important for me to take the network approach, which fosters a web of partnerships where everyone has the opportunity to be engaged and make a difference.”

Thiel notes that her job description includes community outreach and education as key components to foster a sustainability ethic. To Thiel, “Education is the most powerful tool that we can give the next generation to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to address the sustainability challenges of our century.” Her examples illustrating the diversity of projects teaching a sustainability ethic include the Hawai‘i Environmental Education Alliance, which drafted the Hawai‘i Environmental Literacy Plan; and the Farm to School network, which brings healthy foods and hands-on learning in garden classrooms to students. In March she organized a panel at the Sustainability in Higher Education Summit to “showcase examples of how our universities and community colleges have significantly contributed to sustainability in Hawai‘i from on-the-ground efforts to policy- level decision making.”

When Mālama asked her to imagine being made queen for a day to jump- start solutions to some rather intractable problems, Thiel said she would make Hawai‘i “a destination paradise with purpose, where visitors from around the world would come to experience sustainability and resilience in practice.” She would “summon the resources to equip communities, the counties, and the state with the information, support, and collaborative strategy needed to effectively address the short- and long-term impacts of climate change.” Then she would turn to investment in innovation and transformation to reach clean energy goals, reduce Hawai‘i’s energy and food carbon footprint through local production, and emphasize natural resource conservation and watershed initiatives to protect Hawai‘i’s water supply and the natural infrastructure that makes our islands more resilient. Since these ambitious tasks might not be achieved by the end of her day as a queen, she would “carry on the work as a citizen!"

Hawai'i's Sustainability Goals, as Established in Act 181

Now incorporated into the State Planning Act with "sustainability" as a state priority.

• Goal 1. A Way of Life—Living sustainably is part of our daily practice in Hawai'i.
• Goal 2. The Economy—Our diversified and globally competitive economy enables us to meaningfully live, work and play in Hawai'i.
• Goal 3. Environment and Natural Resources—Our natural resources are responsibly and respectfully used, replenished and preserved for future generations.
• Goal 4. Community and Social Well-Being—Our community is strong, healthy, vibrant and nurturing, providing safety nets for those in need.
• Goal 5. Kanaka Maoli and Island Values—Our Kanaka Maoli and island cultures and values are thriving and perpetuated.