Hawai‘i to Hold 1st Climate Commission Meeting

Haleakalā climate change. PC: Wendy Osher.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources, in partnership with the State Office of Planning, will hold the first-ever Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (Climate Commission) meeting in mid-October.

The public is invited to attend the meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki Beach Resort, Coral Ballrooms 1 and 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

On June 6, 2017, Gov. David Ige signed Act 32 Session Laws of Hawai‘i, 2017, making Hawai‘i the first state to enact legislation implementing parts of the Paris Climate Accord. The Paris agreement was signed by 195 nations on Nov. 4, 2016, and is the largest, concerted global effort to combat climate change to date.

Unprecedented warming of the atmosphere due to greenhouse gas emissions poses a significant threat to the people of our state, the DLNR press release stated.

Climate Commission Co-chair Suzanne Case said, “Hawai‘i and our Pacific island neighbors contribute a proportionately small amount to global warming, but will experience disproportionate significant effects due to sea level rise, drought, increased storminess, and ecological changes in our marine and terrestrial environments. The Climate Commission will work with all stakeholders to address these challenges by systematically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving our resiliency to its serious impacts, utilizing the principles and contributing to the goals set by the Paris agreement.”

It is anticipated that the new Climate Commission will provide direction, facilitation, coordination and planning among state and county agencies, federal agencies, and other partners about climate change mitigation (reduction of greenhouse gases) and climate change resiliency strategies. These include, but are not limited to, sea level rise adaptation, water and agricultural security, and natural resource stewardship.

The Climate Commission will be placed under DLNR for administrative purposes and is headed jointly by the chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the director of the State Office of Planning, or their designees.

This first meeting will give Commission members a status update of the State Sea Level Rise Vulnerability & Adaptation Report that is due to the State Legislature at the end of the year. It includes an open discussion for the setting of the Climate Commission’s priorities. Gov. Ige will make an appearance.

Anyone with special needs requiring accommodations or assistance, is asked to please contact the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands at least four days prior to the public hearing. For more information contact the OCCL at (808) 587-0377 or visit http://climateadaptation.hawaii.gov.