Hawai‘i advocates to host ‘Climate Action vs. Greenwashing’ webinar amid global clean energy mobilization

Local climate and environmental organizations will host a webinar on “Climate Action vs. Greenwashing” on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. HST.

The online event is organized by 350Hawai’i, Greenpeace Hawai’i, Green Party of Hawai’i, Hawai’i Climate and Environmental Coalition and the Sierra Club of Hawai’i. It coincides with a weekend of international climate mobilizations, including Sun Day, Make Billionaires Pay and Draw the Line, aimed at advancing clean energy and climate justice.

Organizers say Hawai’i faces pressure from government and industry to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and explore nuclear power on the islands. Both options, they said, are “very serious, harmful false climate solutions” that threaten real progress toward a clean energy future.

“We will expose two very serious, harmful false climate solutions, LNG and nuclear power,” the organizers said ahead of the webinar. “We will also share updates on real climate solutions, including solar energy, that contribute towards a healthy, equitable future.”

Featured speakers include Professor Bob Richmond of Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Wayne Tanaka, Sierra Club Hawai’i Chapter Director and State Representative Ikaika Hussey, District 29.

“The state legislature rightly declared a Climate Emergency, now we must act like it. Making informed decisions on sustainable and responsible energy choices to protect our aina, our ocean, and our future, is critical if we are to leave a healthy, thriving environment for future generations” said event organizer, Dave Mulinix, and co-founder of Greenpeace Hawai’i. “This webinar is an opportunity to expose some of the energy hoaxes that are both harming us and sabotaging our progress, and learn more about real actions needed to actually tackle the climate crisis we are in.”

Sherry Pollack, co-founder of 350Hawai’i, added, “Children living today are already experiencing a 1.5°C warmer world because of the failure of adults to take real action when there still was time to do so. We have no more time to waste on harmful, false climate solutions like LNG and nuclear power. All decisions from here on out are the differences between 1.5°C and up to 4°C of warming, and the escalated suffering that comes with it. If we are to limit warming to 1.5° we must take real climate action now.” 

The event is online. Registration is required to attend. To register, go to https://tinyurl.com/climate920.