RESOLUTION

URGING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO ESTABLISH GOALS TO TRANSITION HONOLULU TO 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY AND A CARBON NEUTRAL ECONOMY WITHOUT DELAY AND TO OPPOSE ALL NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE.

WHEREAS, a destabilized global climate, changing ocean temperatures, and melting ice masses from Greenland to Antarctica are now manifest in Hawaii as more frequent and bigger storms, beach loss to higher tides and rising sea levels, higher average temperatures, decreased trade winds, dying coral reefs, and periods of drought and heavy rain with flooding; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii’s host culture continues to value Ohana, Malama, Kuleana, and Aloha; and in June 2015, people of all faiths celebrated Pope Francis’ encyclical “Praised Be (Laudato Si): On the Care of Our Common Home,” affirming our shared moral responsibility to address climate change and to mitigate the inequities of environmental exploitation; and

WHEREAS, in November 2016, 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement as an historic global effort to combat climate change; and the withdrawal of U.S. international participation called forth immediate action by local governments, as well as independent action by local communities, businesses, and utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, the State Climate Commission’s “Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report” acknowledged that 3.2 feet of sea level rise could occur as early as mid-century, causing an estimated 9,400 acres on Oahu to experience chronic flooding that will impact nearly 4,000 structures; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, Mayor Caldwell signed the Chicago Climate Charter, committing the City Administration to “partner with … environmental advocates … to develop holistic climate … solutions;” and in 2018, in response to the findings and guidance of the City’s Climate Change Commission, Mayor Caldwell issued a directive that requires all City departments and agencies under the mayor’s jurisdiction to view climate change action as an urgent matter and act proactively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to prepare the City for the physical and economic impacts resulting from climate change; and

WHEREAS, any increased reliance on fossil fuels or new fossil fuel infrastructure unnecessarily delays a transition to 100% renewable energy, necessary for achieving carbon neutrality goals, and according to the 2018 Transcending Oil report, “Hawaii’s Path to a Clean Energy Economy,” Hawaii can deploy renewable energy at a faster rate than current State goals and at a lower cost to ratepayers ; and

WHEREAS, at least 37 other U.S. cities have committed to 100% renewable energy by 2030 or earlier, including Berkeley, Denver, Orlando, Minneapolis, San Francisco, San Jose, and Spokane, and five cities have already converted to 100% renewable energy; now, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED that the City and County of Honolulu will actively oppose all new infrastructure within its jurisdiction related to fossil fuels; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City and County of Honolulu commits to a genuinely bold energy agenda establishing a goal to meet 100% of energy needs for all the community, and all ground transportation fuel, with clean renewable energy by 2030 and establishes sector-by-sector targets within the next 12 months; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Mayor, Managing Director, Chief Resilience Officer and Executive Director of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, Honolulu Climate Change Commission, and 350Hawaii.org.

 

Background

Hawaii and the world can’t take a gradual approach to climate change. We’ve seen what it’s doing to our weather, our beaches, our coral reefs. This resolution will strengthen Hawaii’s various commitments to lead the nation in adopting clean energy, and hasten our progress toward those goals.