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A public-private partnership that coordinates across
government private sector, and civil society to achieve
Hawai‘i’s 2030 statewide sustainability goals and
serve as a model for integrated green growth.
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Aloha + Dashboard
2018 Legislative Updates
As part of the 2018 Legislative Session, Hawai‘i Green Growth is partnering with Hawai‘i Pacific University faculty and students to provide info-sharing on member identified legislative sustainability priorities. HGG Policy and Legislation Working Group members are championing a variety of topics ranging from wastewater, invasive species, waste reduction, carbon and climate change to wildfire and natural resource management, sustainability coordination, and affordable housing. HPU students are utilizing this list of priorities as a real-time learning opportunity on the legislative process, working on bill tracking and policy research. A legislative update on identified partner 2018 sustainability priorities is
available here
, and will continue to be updated with the HPU class throughout the session.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were identified as the overarching 2018 legislative priority for Hawai‘i Green Growth, serving as an integrated framework to reinforce diverse environmental, social, and economic priorities. The global goals provide a blueprint for a balanced earth, and exemplify the Mālama Ethic conveyed in
Kenny Brown’s 1973 speech
. HGG supports the locally and culturally appropriate implementation of the global goals through the Aloha+ Challenge, Sustainable Hawai‘i Initiative, and existing efforts. This builds on the recent adoption of the Paris Agreement and the inspiring Worldwide Voyage of Hōkūle‘a. The
Senate 2018 Majority Package
focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals has
attracted international attention
, and works to provide a coherent framework for legislation.
HGG Fellow and Kamehameha Schools Graduate Shares Hawai‘i Message Abroad
Hawai‘i Shares Aloha+ Challenge for Island Explorer Initiative
May 11, 2018 - Former HGG intern and now London-based HGG Fellow Kiara Kealoha provided remarks for the University of Strathyclyde's
Island Explorer Initiative
student sustainability challenge on marine plastics. The Kamehameha Schools graduate engaged Scottish primary school students as they studied the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), basing curriculum on island initiatives such as Hawai‘i's Aloha+ Challenge this academic year.
He Lono Moku - 2017 Release
He Lono Moku: State of the Environment 2017 Report Released
The Hawai‘i Environmental Funders Group (EFG) released the second edition of
He Lono Moku: State of the Environment 2017 report
outlining progress on Hawai‘i's sustainability goals. Each year, He Lono Moku focuses on three priority areas that are critical to Hawaiʻi's sustainability, building on data from the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard. The Aloha+ Dashboard actively and continually tracks progress toward the state’s six integrated sustainability goals for 2030: clean energy, local food, natural resource management, solid waste, smart sustainable communities and green education and workforce.
This year, He Lono Moku focuses on Hawai‘i priority areas of local food, invasive species, green business and green workforce. The report highlights on-the-ground efforts taken in achieving the Aloha+ Challenge goals of doubling local food production and increasing local green jobs and education. The report also focuses on progress made on the Hawai‘i Interagency Biosecurity Plan, created by the Governor’s Sustainable Hawai‘i Initiative and aligned with the Aloha+ Challenge natural resource management goal.
Bright spots noted in the report include the expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the Hawai‘i-hosted International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, Hōkūle‘a’s three-year voyage to spread the message of Mālama Honua (caring for Island Earth), the new Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency, and Hawai‘i’s signing of legislation that aligns with the Paris Agreement.
EFG released the inaugural He Lono Moku report in advance of the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress, and focused on freshwater security, renewable energy, and community-based marine management. Learn More at
http://hawaii-environment.com/
Island Leadership Highlighted at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Business Forum
April 16-20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom
HGG Executive Director Celeste Connors, Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) Executive Director Kate Brown, and London-based communications fellow and Kamehameha Schools graduate Kiara Kealoha attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Business Forum from April 16-20. HGG Executive Director chaired an Island Leaders Roundtable with island heads of state at the CHOGM Business Forum, and highlighted the role of public private partnerships in building resilience, addressing climate change, and investing in sustainability outcomes in a series of panel discussions.
HGG Executive Director Celeste Connors with Fiji Prime Minister
HGG Executive Director Celeste Connors with Prince of Wales
(Left to Right) Kristian Teleki, Sustainable Ocean Initiatie at World Resources Institute; Kiara Kealoha, HGG; Kate Brown, Global Island Partnership; Peter Thomson, United Nations Special Envoy for Oceans; Celeste Connors, HGG
Fiji launches first international green bond at London Stock Exchange
Fiji Prime Minister launches first international green bond
Sustainability Business Forum
SBF members discuss
sustainable pathways to economic prosperity
at the 2017 VERGE Summit. Panelists left to right: Alan Oshima (Hawaiian Electric Company), George
Sziget
i (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority), Mark Dunkerley (Hawaiian Airlines), and moderator Celeste Connors (Hawai‘i Green Growth)
The Sustainability Business Forum (SBF) brings together top-level executives representing a broad sector of Hawaiʻi businesses committed to achieve economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and community resilience. Facilitated by Hawai‘i Green Growth and advised by an expert Working Group of government and environmental leaders, SBF collaborates on concrete initiatives to increase livability and climate resilience in Hawai‘i. In 2016, the SBF developed specific recommendations for targets and indicators with other diverse partners to track progress on the Aloha+ Challenge 2030 Smart Sustainable Communities goal.
Currently, SBF is working with partners and technical experts to develop a carbon mitigation initiative, including opportunities for Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and ecotourism, to identify successful approaches to incentivize restoration and conservation. SBF members are exploring Business Blueprints for Action that will help local business leaders collaborate on projects that build resilience, reduce risk and create investment opportunities.
Joint
Initiatives
on Carbon Offsets and Payment for Ecosystem Services
The Hawai‘i-hosted IUCN World Conservation Congress used third party resources to estimate the amount of carbon emissions associated with the 2016 conference in Hawaiʻi. Committed to making the event 100% climate neutral, the IUCN purchased carbon credits from Cordillera Azul National Park Project in Peru (10,172 tons), the Bundled Grid Connected Wind power project from Tamilnadu, India (5,000 tons) and the Wind Energy Project in Maharashtra by M/s Shah Promoters & Developers (18,328 tons). Hawaiʻi did not have any carbon offset programs to meet the IUCN's needs.
Inspired by high-level dialogues at IUCN World Conservation Congress, SBF members agreed to focus on market-based mechanisms in Hawai‘i, including a carbon offset initiative and Payment for Ecosystems Services. To inform joint action, SBF commissioned a legal and policy analysis, provided by Conservation International, for a landscape assessment on a market-based mechanism that will incentivize restoration and conservation of Hawai‘i’s globally important ecosystems and its environmental services. Released in November during the COP23, the report is now available and will support Hawai‘i next steps on a carbon offset initiative. Following the legal and policy analysis, SBF will pursue an Economic Analysis to evaluate possible mechanisms and revenue streams that could fund reforestation and restoration efforts in public and private lands in Hawai‘i. The group is currently examining possible pilot projects in with state, private, and community partners.
Hawai‘i Green Growth is coordinating the SBF, as well as a Working Group of public, private, and civil society partners, to support collaboration and joint implementation of a Hawai‘i-based carbon offset initiative.
Sustainability Business Forum Reports
Carbon Market and Payment for Ecosystems Services Report
2016 Annual Report on
Smart Sustainable Communities
SBF Events & Highlights:
Sustainability Business Forum Members at 2017 VERGE
High Level Political Forum Discusses Progress and Future of UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Picture: This year’s HLPF, “Eradicating Poverty and Promoting Prosperity in a Changing World” was held July 10
th
to 19
th
2017 at UN Head Quarters in New York City.
Last week wrapped up the 2017
United Nations (UN) High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
, or HLPF, the fourth convening of its kind since HLPF succeeded the
UN Commission on Sustainable Development
in 2013.  Each HLPF session brings together high-level representatives from UN Member States and other specialized agencies to review progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to discuss what needs to be done to ensure “
nobody is left behind
” on the ambitious journey to
2030
.
“Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world” was the theme of this year’s HLPF, which prioritized the review of UN Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty; Goal 2: Zero Hunger; Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being; Goal 5: Gender Equality; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Goal 14: Life Below Water (Healthy Oceans); and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
As the 2017 session closed, various culminating
reports
expressed the need for accelerated effort to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to UN Secretary General António Guterres, “Implementation has begun, but the clock is ticking… the rate of progress in many areas is far slower than needed to meet the targets by 2030.”  The 2017 HLPF discussions identified
intensifying war and violence
, persistent
inequity
, and a lack of
local action frameworks
as some of the obstacles that have hindered advances in the 2030 Agenda.  Such candid reflections on the challenges that face the SDGs are significant, perhaps even sobering, but these frank discussions and acknowledgements by the HLPF are crucial in making strategic steps forward.
Amid the varied challenges that the 44 participating Member States shared during the 2017 HLPF, there emerged a general consensus on the need for stronger partnerships at all levels of development. Lotta Tahtinen of the Division for Sustainable Development (UNDESA) explains that implementing the 2030 Agenda will require “all hands on deck, from all different types of sectors,” including “business… local authorities [and] … civil society actors.” Strong partnerships dedicated to sustainable development engender a strong sense of ownership across all sectors and allow for the sharing of knowledge and resources across different partnership groups, allowing for a better, more sustainable future for all.
Local leadership, strong partnerships, and cross-sector collaboration have been the key to the
Aloha+Challenge
, Hawaii’s statewide sustainability 2030 commitment. The
six goal areas
of the Aloha+Challenge represent Hawaii’s locally and culturally relevant framework for implementing the UN SDGs and building a more resilient future for Hawaii and Island Earth.  The Aloha+Challenge, which is already tracking progress on the 2030 goals through an
online open data dashboard
, is a testament to the power of partnerships for sustainable development. In the future, the Aloha+Challenge will continue to work with other partnerships across the global stage in order to collaborate, inspire, and advance the 2030 Agenda.
Aloha+ Statewide Measures Meeting: Smart Sustainable Communities
Building the Aloha+ Smart Sustainable Communities Dashboard
On May 23-24, 2017, Hawai‘i Green Growth co-hosted the Aloha+ Challenge Statewide Measures Meeting with the County of Kaua‘i at the National Tropical Botanical Garden headquarters in Kalaheo, Kaua‘i. The meeting included over 50 statewide, cross-sector participants from the state, counties, non-profit, business, academia, and community organizations. Building on the Legacy from the IUCN World Conservation Congress and looking towards the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage homecoming, the group discussed shared measures to track progress, provide accountability, and inform action on Hawai‘i’s statewide Aloha+ Challenge 2030 sustainability goals.
Attendees discussed the Smart Sustainable Communities 2030 goal on livability, resilience, and community well-being to provide recommendations for the online Dashboard. This includes robust facilitated discussions on the 8 suggested target areas: Mobility/Accessibility, Affordable Housing, Connection to Place, Economic Prosperity, Land Use/Urban Impacts, Resilience & Disaster Management, Open/Public/Green Spaces, and Carbon Mitigation.
The groups provided recommendations on target language, priority indicators, data sources, narrative content, and public resources. The Statewide Meeting discussions built on a six-month Roundtable and Study Team process to define the Smart Sustainable Communities goal, in additional to a series of technical expert meetings, data discussions, and an online survey.
The group reinforced the exciting opportunities for “Dashboard 2.0,” which includes innovation to capture community-driven data, increased county-level measures, enhanced visuals and interactive features, and engaging students on maintenance through 2030. Other key discussion themes included integrating health and community well-being throughout all Smart Sustainable Communities target areas, as well as the utility of the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) as a metric or meta-indicator to track progress and prosperity for Hawai‘i.
In addition to working sessions, the two-day event included a tour of Kaua‘i sustainability sites: the National Tropical Botanical Garden LEED certified building; farm to table pau hana at Kaua‘i Beer Company; bike ride on the coastal Kapa‘a Bike Path; walking tour through Hardy Complete Street and the TIGER Grant Area.
Mayor Carvalho’s video welcome
to
Aloha+ Challenge
statewide meeting participants
Background:
The Aloha+ Challenge was launched in 2014 by the Governor, four County Mayors, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, State Legislature, and public-private partners across the state, identifying six sustainability goals for 2030 in clean energy, local food, natural resources, solid waste, smart sustainable communities, and green workforce and education. The Aloha+ Dashboard – an online open data platform for decision makers and the public – currently features indicators for clean energy, solid waste, natural resources and local food goals. The Dashboard will showcase smart sustainable communities and green workforce and education at the end of 2017.
ASU Global Institute of Sustainability student Design Team partners with HGG on local place-based models in Hawai‘i
This article was originally published by
ASU Now on May 1, 2017
Marshall Terrill
Students from the resource 'island' of Phoenix enlisted to help create strategy.
Hawaii faces a range of sustainability threats: The state can’t grow enough food; it imports 90 percent of its energy and water; coral reefs are disappearing; the islands are being overrun by invasive species; and because of global warming, residents are increasingly vulnerable to flooding, hurricanes and tsunamis.
It might seem like an unlikely pairing, but students from the desert have been enlisted to help.
“Phoenix is ostensibly an island, and the way resource allocation occurs is not much different than Hawaii,” said Darren Petrucci, a professor in Arizona State University’s Design School. If the Hawaiian Islands can become a sustainable, then “all of the other islands in the world can do it.”
In an example of interdisciplinary problem solving, ASU students and faculty from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the School of Sustainability, and ASU’s LightWorks energy center worked recently with a Hawaii public-private partnership network to find new answers.
The ASU teams developed a four-tiered strategy, focusing on flood mitigation, community education, economic health and overall resilience. They incorporated plans from wetland filtration on a municipal golf course to creating a boardwalk for flood control.
“The big idea of this project is to empower local neighborhoods to find their own solutions,” said Paul Coseo, an assistant professor in landscape architecture in The Design School.
The project is the sort of thing that ASU has become known for. ASU has positioned itself as a pioneer of interdisciplinary learning and a leading center for
entrepreneurship
and
innovation
. The university was the first in the nation to offer a degree in
sustainability
and has been involved in partnerships including
solar power
and
waste reduction
. Also, the Herberger Institute pushes students to
revitalize communities and transform neighborhoods
.
“Designers don’t engage in problem solving the way an engineer might look at things because we always start with the human condition and how it engages with nature,” Petrucci said.
To that end, many of ASU-led proposals focus on neighborhoods and residents. Homeowners would learn to remove asphalt, build rain gardens and install green roofs to reduce storm water runoff, said Kristin Antkoviak, a former microbiologist studying landscape architecture.
“If everyone did just a small intervention,” she said, “it could make a great impact.”
Many strategies could be planned within a year and completed shortly thereafter, depending on funding, Coseo said.
ASU’s involvement began when President Michael Crow met with Hawai’i Green Growth leader Celeste Conners. They, along with faculty and staff from LightWorks and the School of Sustainability, discussed a statewide initiative to achieve environmental, social and economic prosperity for future generations.
read more
Applications Open: Communications Specialist, Aloha+Challenge
Kupu, Kamehameha Schools (KS), Hawai’i Green Growth (HGG) and University of Hawai’i
Office of Sustainability
(UH)
are hiring a cohort of four to six highly motivated, creative individuals with experience and a passion for communications and public engagement and education to help develop and execute a Communications & Engagement Strategy for the
Aloha+ Challenge
– Hawai‘i’s statewide commitment to achieve six interconnected sustainability goals by 2030 in Clean Energy, Local Food Production, Natural Resource Management, Solid Waste Reduction, Smart Sustainable Communities and Green Workforce & Education.
Position Overview
Start Date:
April 1
End Date:
June 30, with possible long-term extension
Application Deadline:
March 17; Open until filled. If the position is posted, we are still hiring
Hours:
15-19 hrs/week
Salary:
$15-18/hour
Position Location:
Honolulu, HI; May be required to work at Kamehameha Schools, Kawaiaha’o Plaza (Honolulu), Hawai’i Green Growth (Honolulu), UH
Mā
noa and/or home/school/virtual office at times
Benefits:
None
Application Requirements
:
Please go to the following web page and
complete the application form for the
Aloha+ Challenge Communications Specialist
at
www.kupuhawaii.org/sustainability
.
Essential Duties
Engagement Strategy Development
Develop stakeholder map and public/student engagement strategy for the
Aloha+ Challenge
Participate in relevant stakeholder meetings
Conduct student engagement research for the Aloha+ Green Workforce & Education goal and to inform Year 2+ student outreach strategy
Develop Communications Strategy for General Public
Conduct research on
Aloha+
Challenge
and sustainability in Hawai`i and a
ssess current communications and marketing processes and strategies, including website and social media presence
Work closely with HGG & KS Communications Teams, UH Office of Sustainability, and partners to identify input for social media marketing strategy for the
Aloha+ Challenge
Identify Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Marketing, Communications, Social Media, etc.
Develop Aloha+ Communications Strategy for general public
Monitor trends in social media tools, applications, channels, design and strategy
Implementation of Communications Strategy
Implement initiatives and campaigns identified in Communications Strategy:
Develop relevant content topics to reach the general public, students and stakeholders
Assist in creation, curation, and management of all published content (images, video and written)
Develop and expand community and/or influencer outreach efforts
Compile reports for management showing results (ROI)
Track, monitor, and analyze Metrics & KPIs;
tweak strategy as needed
Set goals for next cohort strategy period
Participation in Hawai’i Green Growth Statewide Network:
Participate in Statewide Measures Meetings, multi-stakeholder meetings, and other events for professional development, research and stakeholder networking opportunities
Support the planning, preparation and execution for Statewide Measures Meetings on the Aloha+ Green Workforce and Education and Smart Sustainable Communities goals
Record and prepare meeting summaries for relevant stakeholder or statewide meetings
Provide event set-up and support for priority events or meetings
Support substantive development of agenda, presentations and materials, including cohort-led presentations as requested
Other duties as assigned
read more
HGG AmeriCorps VISTA Internship Opportunity
Hawai‘i Green Growth is delighted to be hiring an AmeriCorps VISTA Internship in partnership with Kupu Hawai‘i's Community Resiliency VISTA Program. We are looking for Hawai‘i-based young professionals and recent graduates interested in sustainability and community resilience to join our team. This individual will be part of a youth cohort placed with other sustainability-related organizations across the state. This is a full-time, year-long paid internship position from May 1, 2017 - May 2018.
Position Summary & Major Responsibilities
This is a full-time position that will work with Hawai‘i Green Growth in statewide coordination and stewardship of the Aloha+ Challenge sustainability commitment, partner network operations and administration, communications and strategic initiatives to advance action on Hawai‘i’s 2030 goals. This position will have significant work experience through hands-on experiential learning, providing an opportunity to take on meaningful responsibility quickly and engage with a diverse network of local, national and international partners. In addition, Hawai‘i Green Growth and Kupu Hawai‘i are committed to individual mentorship and professional development. Major responsibilities include:
1. Partnership Operations: Support coordination, administration and communication with Hawai‘i Green Growth’s statewide network.
• Correspond with partners regarding joint priorities, initiatives and meetings
• Schedule team, partner and stakeholder meetings
• Maintain key master documents, organizational systems and support monthly administration
• Build relevant tools and resources to support the partnership’s capacity
• Support relevant writing, reporting and research
2. Meetings & Event Planning: Coordination, preparation and follow-up for partnership meetings and strategic events (e.g. retreats, working group and committee meetings, network events, conferences).
• Schedule and coordinate meetings, including logistics, invitations and RSVPs
• Prepare materials, including presentations, meeting summaries, and other documents
• Attend and provide support at meetings
• Assist with timely follow-up and action items
3. Communications & Outreach:
• Update social media with relevant local, national and international sustainability news
• Support website updates, maintenance and content development
• Coordinate and update communications materials, photos and relevant databases
• Support photography, video and other media projects
• Work with team on media and communications around high-level events and initiatives
4. Partner Engagement and Innovation:
• On-going communications with Aloha+ Challenge signatories, public-private partners and diverse network
• Support development of new initiatives and special projects
• Relevant research and outreach
5. Other duties as assigned
AmeriCorps Eligibility & Package
Eligibility for the AmeriCorps VISTA Program
In order to be considered for hire, one must meet the following minimum requirements:
• Available full time (40 hours/week)
• 18 years or older
• US Citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident
• Not listed on the National Sex Offenders Public Registry
AmeriCorps Compensation and Benefits Package:
• Living allowance (approx. $19,800 annually)
• Education Award (approx. $5,000)
• Child Care Benefits (approx. $400 per month per child)
• AmeriCorps VISTA Health Benefits Program
Preferences
It is preferred that the applicant has the following:
• Strong attention to detail, organization, planning skills and personal accountability
• Interest in a collaborative and integrated approach to sustainability that supports environmental, social and economic prosperity
• Familiarity with Hawai‘i’s geography and communities, as well as a respect for Hawaiian language, culture and traditions
• Relevant education and/or work experience
• Flexible in supporting other duties as assigned
This year-long position begins May 1, 2017 and is based in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
Application Details
Please submit your resume and cover letter online by March 21, 2017 at 5:00pm:
Online: http://hawaiigreengrowth.catchthebest.com/apply/bfc9
Email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The position start date is May 1st, though the candidate will be selected by early to mid-April to begin enrollment in the AmeriCorps program.
If you have any questions about the position or online application process, please contact:
Breanna Rose, HGG Operations & Partnerships Manager
Email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More Information
http://www.hawaiigreengrowth.org
www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/americorps-vista
Download the HGG AmeriCorps Internship Position Description
HERE
Building Voices Design Competition 2017
A Part of the BUILDING VOICES Ideas + Action Festival --
Presented by the School of Architecture at the University of Hawaiʻi and University of Hawaiʻi Community Design Center
(Honolulu, March 13, 2017)
–The University of Hawai’i’s School of Architecture and Community Design Center is pleased to announce the launch of the BUILDING VOICES DESIGN COMPETITION, part of the BUILDING VOICES design festival featuring local, national and international designers, architects, artists, engineers and problem solvers. The day-long event will be held on Earth Day, April 22, at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol.
The BUILDING VOICES DESIGN COMPETITION focuses on the value of design and its impact on built and natural environments and fostering communication between multiple communities and organizations. The BUILDING VOICES DESIGN COMPETITION closes for entries on April 5, 2017. Entering the competition is free.
“We are seeking design solutions that draw knowledge from multiple disciplines, including architecture, product design, engineering, service design, landscape architecture, urban design and others,” said Karla Sierralta, assistant professor at the University of Hawai’i’s School of Architecture. Designs must be socially, economically, ecologically and culturally sustainable. For full details, please visit:
https://www.buildingvoices.org/competition/
.
“The goal of the BUILDING VOICES DESIGN COMPETITION is to highlight local emerging, midcareer and established design talents alongside national and international ones, with a thematic emphasis on prototypical solutions for the built environment that generate a positive impact for the natural world,” explained Sierralta.  “We’re excited about sharing Hawaiʻi’s perspective as an integral part of the global discussion on design and welcoming participants from around the world to join us through an open invite to the BUILDING VOICES DESIGN COMPETITION,” said Brian Strawn, co-founder of Strawn+Sierralta.
The distinguished jury includes Xavier Vendrell of Rural Studio, Healoha Johnston of the Honolulu Museum of Art, Rebecca Buck of Amazon, T. Annie Nguyen of the U.S. Digital Service at the White House, Andrew Tang of Transit-Oriented Development Honolulu, and architects Aljoša Dekleva from Slovenia, Clément Blanchet from Paris and Daniel Vasini of West 8 New York.
The first prize will win $5,000, second prize will win $2,500, and the third prize will win $1000. The winning designs will be featured in the BUILDING VOICES TRAVELING EXHIBIT to be launched at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on April 22 and presented by the
University of Hawai’i
Community Design Center.
read more
Hawaii Can Navigate Climate Change Currents
Launched on May 17, 2014, the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage is taking the Hokule'a, shown here with Hikianalia, on a journey to spread the message of sustainability and "caring for our island earth."
By: Celeste Connors and Neil Hannahs
America's upcoming political transition has many waiting for the policy implications of a sharply different presidential perspective. Delegates at November’s United Nations climate talks in Marrakesh and last month’s Biodiversity Conference in Mexico expressed concern that the U.S. will pull out of the global climate treaty, potentially rolling back eight years invested by the Obama administration in public and private sector engagement and high-level multilateral policy on climate change and clean energy, backed up by aggressive federal action.
Fortunately,  the  people  of  Hawaii  have  not  depended  upon  offshore  direction  when  it  comes  to understanding the trends and risks to an environment that we cherish. Instead, we have drawn on ancestral wisdom and independent analysis of scientific data to assess risks, set priorities and invest in the health of the aina that will sustain us and future generations.
Thanks to such values, Hawaii has:
Launched partnerships across the state to steward water resources.
Accepted responsibility to heal the bomb-ridden island of Kahoolawe.
Committed to end fossil fuel imports and produce 100 percent of our electricity from renewable sources.
Restored  ecosystem  services  in  our  forests,  riparian  ways,  field  systems,  fishponds  and  coastal environments.
Increased production of locally grown food.
Convened   business,   environmental,   cultural   and   educational   leadership   to   establish   the   six interconnected Aloha+ Challenge sustainability goals.
Supported Hokule‘a’s worldwide voyage to carry the message of Malama Honua around the globe.
It is not local style to make loud, attention-getting claims of leadership. We prefer to let our actions speak for themselves and share our aloha aina with residents and visitors. We did just that last September when we hosted 10,000 guests who participated in the IUCN World Conservation Congress. They spoke enthusiastically about our initiatives and placed Hawaii at the cutting edge of the sustainability movement.
As a result, our state and counties were invited to join the Global Island Partnership, a network of island leaders committed to a more sustainable future. Hawaii also signed agreements with Jeju and Okinawa, island communities connected to the major economies of Korea and Japan. And Gov. David Ige backed this with local action, announcing several initiatives to advance the Aloha+ Challenge, Hawaii’s statewide 2030 sustainability goals.
In  addition,  Honolulu  recently  joined  the  Rockefeller  Foundation’s  100  Resilience  Cities  initiative, connecting the county to other cities around the world that are serious about addressing climate-related risks. Mayor Kirk Caldwell attended the West Coast Mayors Summit in December, joining other leaders in signing a letter to President-elect Donald Trump calling for increased investment in resilient infrastructure to mitigate the threat of natural disasters.
Hawaii has been asked to share its story in forums such as the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Governors Association. Many more opportunities to engage loom on the horizon, such as the Pacific Coast Collaborative and the C40 and global Climate Vulnerable Forum.
Hawaii not only has a place at the table at high-level global policy platforms, but the IUCN showed that we are now in a position to invite others to take a seat at our table. And in doing so, we can drive the change needed to secure a more sustainable future for the planet.
The Malama Honua Worldwide  Voyage and the Aloha+ Challenge  together form Hawaii’s  Sail Plan, inspiring collective action on sustainability for generations to come.
While Hawaii may not have all of the answers, our collective efforts show promise and present a long-term course for action.  To  quote  Nainoa  Thompson,  Hokule‘a  navigator  and  president  of  the  Polynesian Voyaging Society, “Hawaii is moving toward the balance. And when Hawaii achieves it, it becomes that starlight for the rest of the world to see and know that it can be done; that’s the gift.” Time to shine, Hawaii!
This op-ed was originally published in the Editorial: Island Voices section of the Honolulu Star Advertiser (
http://ow.ly/7kf5308qp3F
).
Youth Taking on Sustainable Development
At the COP13
Conference on Biological Diversity
in Cancun, Mexico, the
Voices of Future Generations Initiative
screened an inspiring short film about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goal agenda. The film features an amazing group of child authors and ambassadors with a mission to educate their peers on the UN’s 17
Sustainable Development Goals.
Click
here
to learn more about Voice of Future Generators and watch the 5:00 video.
Hawai‘i has made great strides toward contributing to the global Sustainable Development Goals through the Aloha + Challenge, which has been recognized by the international community as a globally replicable model. By committing to the UN definition of sustainable development, “…meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” the Aloha + Challenge promotes a sustainable and resilient future for Hawai’i and its keiki.
Hawai‘i Green Growth is preparing for the official launch of the sixth and last Aloha + Challenge goal, Green Workforce and Education , which will focus on equipping Hawai‘i’s youth with the tools necessary to carry on the Aloha + Challenge and future sustainability initiatives.
University of Hawai'i, Kamehameha Schools, and Hawai'i Green Growth Come Together for Hawai'i's Green Workforce and Education
article originally published on University of Hawai'i News website:
http://www.hawaii.edu/news/2016/10/17/educational-partnership-to-create-next-generation-sustainability-leadership/
By: Kelli Trifonovitch
A new agreement will involve Hawaiʻi’s students in critical planning for green education and sustainability. A memorandum of understanding signed by
University of Hawaiʻi
,
Kamehameha Schools
and
Hawaiʻi Green Growth
bridges educational missions and begins to create pathways for local students to help define and develop Hawaiʻi’s statewide green workforce and education goal as part of the
Aloha+ Challenge
.
The public-private partnership between Hawaiʻi Green Growth and two leading educational institutions in Hawaiʻi seeks to bring students from private and public schools, the university and the community to the forefront of decision making in developing Hawaiʻi’s statewide sustainability framework.
“Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, and it is vitally important that our youth be given the opportunity to help the state to craft its sustainability goals,” said
UH
President
David Lassner
.
“This partnership has the potential to transform how we as a community approach education and our workforce, where our keiki, our culture and our ʻāina are positioned at the center of our decision-making,” said Jack Wong,
CEO
of Kamehameha Schools. “I’m grateful that we get to participate in the process and with partners who share the same values.”
Celeste Connors, executive director of Hawaiʻi Green Growth said, “The next generation will be the leaders that carry the Aloha+ Challenge forward to 2030. We are committed to working with Hawaiʻi’s youth to address global challenges through place-based knowledge, education, and practical workforce development programs and curriculum.”
The Aloha+ Challenge
The outcomes of the new agreement should help define Hawaiʻi’s green workforce and education 2030 goals as part of the Aloha+ Challenge statewide sustainability framework.
The Aloha+ Challenge is a statewide commitment to sustainability, launched in 2014 with the leadership of the governor, four county mayors, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, State Legislature, and Hawaiʻi Green Growth public-private partners across the state. It builds on Hawaiʻi’s history of systems thinking, Hawaiian culture and values and successful track record on sustainability to outline six ambitious goals to be achieved by 2030 in clean energy transformation, local food production, natural resource management, solid waste reduction, smart sustainable communities (including climate resilience and livability) and green workforce and and education.
Details of the new agreement
Under the new agreement, there are four primary areas of collaboration
Youth Engagement: Create platforms for youth leadership and engagement in the Aloha+ Challenge Green Workforce and Education goal development process, as first step to involving youth leadership on all six Aloha+ Challenge sustainability goals;
Leadership Building: Create practical internship or workforce opportunities for
UH
and
KS
students with Hawaiʻi Green Growth and other network or local partners;
Educational Pathways: Develop an understanding of current and emerging workforce opportunities around sustainability and develop degree and certificate programs, including bridging from K12 to higher education, that prepare students for successful careers in these fields;
Statewide Action: Coordinate joint action on Hawaiʻi’s 2030 sustainability goals, including the online Aloha+ Challenge dashboard to track progress, provide accountability, develop shared policy and initiatives to drive implementation, and the adoption of the Aloha+ Challenge as a statewide sustainability framework.
Hawai‘i's Legacy from the IUCN Congress
As host of the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) from September 1-10, Hawai‘i galvanized public and private support for concrete actions
on the Aloha+ Challenge statewide 2030 sustainability goals, showcased island models for integrated green growth, and strengthened global partnerships to drive long-term outcomes for Hawai‘i and island earth.
The Congress was a catalytic moment to build on Hawai‘i’s legacy of Hawaiian indigenous wisdom and sustainability that started long before today, and continue this important work for the sake of future generations. Hawai‘i’s Legacy builds on ancestral heritage and voyaging revival to cultivate a culture of sustainability for future generations; the Mālama Honua WorldWide Voyage and the
Aloha+ Challenge
together form Hawai‘i’s Sail Plan for a more sustainable and resilient future.
Learn more
about the work of the WCC Legacy Committee and over 20 public-private action initiatives inspired by the IUCN Congress.
IUCN Congress Legacy Highlights
Throughout the Congress, key legacy initiatives were highlighted and celebrated, including President Obama's announcement to expand Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, wildlife trafficking legislation, He Lono Moku: The State of the Environment Report, the Hoala Lokoi‘a Guidebook, 100% renewable island commitments, and IUCN Congress food waste recovery pilot. All of Hawai‘i's seven proposed motions were approved as formal IUCN resolutions.
At the Opening Ceremony, Governor Ige announced his Sustainable Hawai'i initiative to achieve the Aloha+ Challenge, including 30 by 30 ocean and watershed targets, an interagency biosecurity strategy, local food production action, and Hawai‘i's ambitious clean energy goal. In addition, the Governor signed a MOU with Jeju and Okinawa at the first Global Green Island Summit on to ensure a lasting island partnership to meet the UN 2030 Agenda. Finally, the Governor formally accepted President Remengesau's invitation to join the the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA), and will work with island leaders to share best practices and scale island sustainability models, like Hawai‘i's Aloha+ Challenge, as part of GLISPA's Island Resilience Initiative.
At the Aloha+ Challenge event, the Governor, County Mayors, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and University of Hawai‘i highlighted action and progress towards the 2030 sustainability goals, including an announcement by UH launching an international student prize competition to Make the Ala Wai Awesome. UH and the Ala Wai Watershed Initiative hosted two hyrbid hack-a-thons for students and community members during the IUCN Congress to kick-off this initiative. On Student Day, the Hawai‘i Youth Challenge 2020 was launched with a design-thinking project for high-school students to identify top sustainability projects. The Student Sustainability Coalition of Hawai‘i and Peace Child announced the 2017 World Youth Congress will take place in Hawai‘i at UH Manoa from
June 24- July 1
.
Working with the Blue Planet Foundation to highlight regional solidarity on Hawaii's 100% renewable energy goal, the Kingdom of Tonga announced a new post-Paris 100% renewable energy by 2035 goal and American Samoa announced that two of their islands will be 100% renewable by the end of this year.
He Lono Moku: Hawaii's 1st State of the Environment Report
He lono moku was published on August 18, 2016
With the IUCN World Conservation Congress being held in the United States for the first time, Hawai'i's environment and sustainability efforts are on the world stage.
He lono moku
recognizes this global momentum and highlights priorities for environmental equilibrium in Hawai'i. This
State of the Environment
report shares our advances in freshwater security, renewable energy, and community-based marine management--as well as where our efforts fall short. Each year,
He lono moku
will track and share progress on a variety of environmental topics.
To see this year's report, go to
He Lono Moku: The State of the Environment
.
Honolulu Selected for Rockefeller's 100 Resilient Cities
May 25, 2016 - The City and County of Honolulu was selected to join the final cohort for the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities network.
100 Resilient Cities (100RC) helps cities around the world become more resilient to social, economic, and physical challenges. 100RC can offer Honolulu funding and resources to hire a Chief Resilience Officer, develop a Resilience Strategy, access to diverse tools and services valued at $200M, and membership in a global peer learning network that spans five continents. This was a highly competitive application process, and Honolulu was chosen for their innovative leadership and commitment to resilience building. Joining the internal 100RC network further highlights Hawai'i's role as an island leader and model for locally appropriate implementation of the global 2030 sustainable development agenda.
Hawai'i Green Growth looks forward to working with the City and County of Honolulu, 100RC, and other public and private partners to increase community resilience, risk reduction, and disaster preparedness and catalyze investments that will have positive impacts and long-term benefits across the state. As Hawai'i prepares to take the world stage at the IUCN World Conservation Congress this September, we have much to showcase on how Hawai'i is driving action towards our Aloha+ Challenge sustainability goals and leading on the global agenda.
Learn more at
http://www.100resilientcities.org
Coverage:
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2016/05/25/honolulu-to-gain-funding-from-100-resilient-cities.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/100-resilient-cities-and-the-rockefeller-foundation-announce-37-new-member-cities-reaching-100-city-milestone-for-its-global-network-300274345.html
HGG Executive Director Named one of World's Top 30+ Influential "Climate Changers"
Hawai'i Green Growth's Executive Director Celeste Connors was named one of Origin Magazine's top "Climate Changers: Top Thinkers and Doers" -- 37 of the world's most influential minds charging the front lines of the climate crisis. Visit the
full article from Origin Magazine
featuring over 30 change agents across the globe.
Celeste Connors, HGG Executive Director:
Climate change is a multidimensional challenge that requires interdisciplinary solutions. The greatest opportunities lie at the intersection between public and private sector, between communities, industries, and technologies. I served at the macro and micro level, shaping energy and climate policy at the White House and then launching a company to catalyze investment in sustainable development. Now, as the executive director of Hawaii Green Growth, I'm working with partners at the subnational level to achieve statewide sustainability targets, including in energy, water, food, waste, and smart cities. Get a seat at the table. Take responsibility for shaping policies that can drive concrete outcomes.
State Senate Recognizes Hawai‘i Green Growth Partnership
State Senate of Hawai'i recognizes Hawai'i Green Growth partnership
March 4, 2016
- Mahalo to the State Senate of Hawai‘i and Senator Mike Gabbard for recognizing the Hawai'i Green Growth partnership during a Senate Floor Presentation for leadership in driving sustainable development in Hawai'i through innovative initiatives, particularly the
Aloha+ Challenge
. Mahalo nui loa to our many outstanding partners for your commitment and leadership over the past five years, and your collaboration to charting the pathway to 2030!
Accepting the certificate on behalf of the diverse partnership, Celeste Connors Connors and Breanna Rose represented the Hawai‘i Green Growth staff team, Dr. Kamana'opono Crabbe CEO for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs represented the
Aloha+ Challenge
signatories, Rob Parsons Environmental Coordinator for the County of Maui represented the counties, Piia Aarma President for Pineapple Tweed PR & Marketing represented the private sector and non-governmental partners, and Matt Lynch Sustainability Coordinator for the University of Hawai‘i represented academia and youth engagement. A very special mahalo to Audrey Newman, Senior Advisor for Hawai‘i Green Growth, for her visionary leadership in founding this collaborative partnership in 2011.
HGG co-hosts first Aloha+ Legislation and Policy Retreat
In November 2015, Hawai'i Green Growth co-hosted the first Aloha+ Challenge Legislation and Policy Retreat with Senator Gabbard, Representative Yamane and Representative Lee, bringing together county leadership, Legislators, cabinet members and public and private partners. Over 100 participants attended the retreat to identify recommendations for action on the Aloha+ Challenge that could be announced and highlighted at the World Conservation Congress in September 2016. We identified key policy for state, federal, county and private sector action on the six Aloha+ Challenge goals, including priorities on resilient infrastructure, biosecurity, innovative finance and statewide sustainability coordination.
Hawai‘i Green Growth 2016 Legislative Priorities
Building on recommendations from the
Aloha+ Challenge
Legislation and Policy Retreat, Hawai'i Green Growth reached agreement on shared legislative priorities that will significantly advance the Aloha+ Challenge. As a public-private partnership, these priorities possess broad support among members and across sectors, have committed leadership to steward the effort, and engage partners across disciples and sectors. View
Hawai'i Green Growth's 2016 Legislative Priorities list
Highlights from Aloha+ Challenge Legislation & Policy Retreat:
High-level interactive panel discussions framed priority setting for 2016 and beyond on "Hawai'i's Sustainability Achievements" and "Opportunities to Advance the Aloha+ Challenge" with sustainability leaders from the Hawai'i State Legislature, government, non-profits, business, education and philanthropy. Panelists included:
• Mayor Alan Arakawa, County of Maui
• Luis Salaveria, Director, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
• Kim Burnett, Associate Specialist, UH Economic Research Organization
• 'Aulani Wilhelm, Director of Ocean Initiatives, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
• Mike Hamnett, UH Social Science Research Institute & Coordinator, Ala Wai Watershed Partnership
• Josh Stanbro, Program Director, Hawai'i Community Foundation
• Ann Botticelli, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Hawaiian Airlines
• Donna Kiyosaki, Associate Vice President for Administration, University of Hawai'i System
Photos & highlights
from the Aloha+ Legislation & Policy Retreat
State Senate recognizes Hawai‘i Green Growth partnership
A plea from small islands: more insurance for climate change
A plea from small islands: more insurance for climate change
LONDON
|
By
Carolyn Cohn
//
Technology
|
Thu Dec 10, 2015 7:13am EST
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-summit-insurance-idUSKBN0TT19W20151210
Rising sea levels and tidal waves are washing away coastlines on many of the 196 inhabited islands of the Maldives, and there is no insurance policy to cover the costs.
Global leaders are close to the end of two weeks of talks to try to agree an accord to slow climate change. A draft agreement this week showed countries had made progress on some sticking points but remain divided over several core issues before Friday's deadline.
A weak deal could lead to a situation where "insurance will be pretty hard to find in some places", according to Matt Cullen, head of strategy at the Association of British Insurers, as droughts, flash floods and wildfires become more common around the world.
But the most vulnerable countries are already finding it onerous to fix the damage wreaked by climate change.
"As of now, there is insurance cover for high waters and flooding, but not for coastal erosion," Thoriq Ibrahim, minister for environment and energy for the Maldives, told Reuters by phone from Paris. "It's very expensive to repair."
The Asian Development Bank has described the "pancake-flat" Maldives in the Indian Ocean as the country most at risk in South Asia from climate change. If left unchecked, this could cause annual economic losses of nearly 13 percent of gross domestic product by the end of the century, it estimated.
AOSIS, the Alliance of Small Island States, which the Maldives currently chairs, wants developed countries and insurers to provide help for the costs of rising sea levels.
There are already some insurance options for managing other extreme weather losses.
Local insurers are able to provide cover for flood damage in the Maldives, Ibrahim said, who then farm some of the risk out to international reinsurers.
But the lack of specific climate change-related insurance meant one hotel resort in the Maldives was recently unable to claim on losses caused by erosion, a local insurer told Reuters.
NO-GO AREA
For now at least, industry participants see insuring for rising sea levels as a no-go area - as risky as covering a house for fire when someone is already walking up the path with a lit match.
"Risks from the slowly but steadily rising sea level are not insurable because there is no sudden and unforeseeable trigger, which is a prerequisite for insurance," said Peter Hoeppe, head of geo risk research at reinsurer Munich Re.
Nevertheless, international insurers, working with multilateral lenders, governments and development organizations, have come up with special arrangements to help cash-strapped countries in the Caribbean and Africa deal with natural disasters such as hurricanes, extreme rainfall and drought.
These are the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility www.ccrif.org/ and African Risk Capacity. www.africanriskcapacity.org/
The United States pledged more support for these initiatives in Paris, along with financial backing for a similar project in the Pacific Islands. Twenty of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan to the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, said in October they plan to work for a pooling mechanism to share insurance risk.
These arrangements typically pay out if a certain natural disaster is triggered - such as if a specific level of rainfall is exceeded within a set period - so those that have suffered get the cash far faster than if they have to assess damage and make claims.
Islands and insurers agree that more needs to be done, however, to understand the risks involved so that suitable insurance can be offered, for instance through the development of more sophisticated forecasting.
"We need to make pretty big investments in data analysis and technology, so we can be as informed as we can be," said Mike McGuire, chief financial officer at insurer Endurance Specialty Holdings. "As an industry, we never know exactly what's going to happen."
Small island states are pushing for a mechanism in a Paris accord to cover loss and damage, for instance from typhoons or sea level rise that exceed nations' abilities to adapt.
"There has to be some real international mechanism, funding, that is predictable," Jose Ramos-Horta, former president of East Timor and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, told Reuters in Paris.
INSURANCE GAP
Most of the existing multilateral initiatives will help only governments, rather than providing broader support for those suffering directly from natural disasters, according to Reto Schnarwiler, head of Americas and EMEA at Swiss Re Global Partnerships.
"The injured party is the government. They would use these proceeds for emergency relief, reconstruction of public infrastructure - it's not a facility for individuals and business."
A study by reinsurer Swiss Re shows that in the last 10 years, policies covered only 30 percent of global catastrophe losses, leaving governments, companies and individuals to pay $1.3 trillion.
In the U.S. island state of Hawaii, the risks from increasing natural disasters due to climate change are "real and large", according to Celeste Connors, executive director of Hawaii Green Growth. A category 4 hurricane over Waikiki - a beachfront area of the state capital Honolulu - could cause $20-40 billion in losses, she said.
"Hawaii has been lucky over the last several years, but luck eventually runs out. There's currently a gap between Hawaii's exposure and investment in climate-resilient infrastructure and post-disaster financing."
Other risks are also becoming uninsurable.
Robert Muir-Wood, chief research officer at catastrophe risk modeling firm RMS, said that in the Bahamas, houses built on canals were lying vacant due to lack of insurance against hurricanes. "That's one example of a dystopian future, where insurers simply walked away."
Without insurance, countries need to spend the money themselves to become more resilient to climate change.
The most drastic option is to move house.
The Pacific island state of Kiribati bought 6,000 acres (2,500 hectares) of land in Fiji last year to help safeguard future food supplies and perhaps to become a home if seas rise, as part of a policy of "migration with dignity".
"The worst case scenario is relocation of some islands," said the Maldives' Ibrahim. "We want to adapt, we want to stay, and we want funds for that."
(Additional reporting by Daniel Bosley in Male and Alister Doyle in Paris)
Paris moves the dial, but islands are still vulnerable
Paris moves the dial, but islands are still vulnerable
As negotiators head home after two weeks of climate talks, there is a lot to applaud in the Paris Agreement, which was agreed to early Saturday morning.
Highlights include global mitigation commitments, a transparency regime and a long-term goal.
However, the reality is that it will take sustained political leadership and innovative local action to meet these ambitious targets.
Islands are least responsible for climate change but the most vulnerable to the current climate risks, and they will need to make major investments in resilience. From Hawaii to Kiribati, Seychelles and the Maldives, islands are on the frontline of climate change. They are already experiencing sea level rise, natural resources constraints, biodiversity loss and vulnerability to weather-related natural disasters.
For islands, it's not about future risks, but a real and present threat to economic growth and ways of life, which is currently costing billions. To reduce this risk, islands will need to leverage public and private resources to catalyze investments in sustainable development. That's why the Obama administration pledged to support new types of insurance initiatives that transfer risk from governments to the private market and help communities bounce back and rebuild quickly after natural disasters.
But islands are not just sitting back waiting for others to help them; they are leading as laboratories for innovation. The Seychelles debt-for-nature swap announced in Paris, for example, will free up $30 million in restructured debt to support conservation and climate resilience.
The Commonwealth countries, over half of which are island states, recently launched a $1 billion Green Finance Facility to support sustainable development projects.
Financial institutions are key drivers behind this initiative, building the market infrastructure to catalyze large-scale investments in a low-carbon economy. Green bonds, a billion-dollar market linked to environmentally friendly investments, will help raise the upfront capital to support clean energy and green infrastructure projects.
Complementary actions by government, businesses and investors are crucial to achieving lofty climate goals.
In Hawaii, the Aloha+Challenge sets 2030 statewide sustainability targets and enjoys the highest-level political support from the governor, county mayors, state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the state Legislature and community leaders. The targets include clean energy, local food production, reductions in solid waste, fresh water security and natural resource management, smart sustainable communities and education and green workforce.
An ambitious legislative and policy action agenda is needed in 2016 to achieve our Aloha+Challenge targets by 2030. The upcoming U.S.-hosted IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii this September will provide an opportunity to showcase innovative Hawaii solutions that help islands and the world deal with the worst effects of climate change. This will build on President Barack Obama's commitment to partner with local leaders in communities affected by climate change, from Alaska to Hawaii, to mobilize investments in resilience and green jobs that support a secure and clean energy future.
While the Paris Agreement established an important high-level framework, the real world impact will need to be driven at the local government and community levels around the world. Only then will the sustainable future we want be achieved.
Hawaii, with our Hawaiian culture, island values and history of sustainability, is well positioned to lead such a movement — and the stakes could not be higher.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorial/paris-moves-the-dial-but-islands-are-still-vulnerable/
Position Opening! HGG Measures Coordinator
Hawai‘i Green Growth seeking Measures Coordinator to lead implementation on Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard!
Full position description available here
, and brief description of the position is available below.
Please submit your resume and cover letter by December 10, 2015
at 5pm
on-line
http://hawaiigreengrowth.catchthebest.com/apply/6ffc
or via e-mail at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If you have any questions, please contact: Breanna Rose at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
. On-line or Email applications only.
MEASURES COORDINATOR, HAWAIʻI GREEN GROWTH POSITION SUMMARY:
The Measures Coordinator provides staff leadership for the
Hawaiʻi Green Growth
(HGG) Measures Project, including work with state government partners to build and maintain the
Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard
. The Coordinator's primary objective is to achieve one of four top priorities identified in the 2017 HGG Working Strategy:
Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard
for decision-makers and the public completed and used to track progress and inform action on the six sustainability targets. Structure and funding in place to maintain the Dashboard's utility through 2030.
The Measures Coordinator works closely with the HGG Measures Team Co-Chairs and Core Team to plan, organize, and facilitate HGG Measures Team meetings and associated Aloha+ Challenge briefings and outreach activities. S/he engages and expands a diverse, statewide network of Measures Team members, target-specific experts, potential Dashboard users and other partners to ensure the quality, credibility, utility of the information presented on the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard. S/he will also develop and manage project budgets, prepare and manage grants, assist with fund-raising, and conduct outreach to key audiences for the Measures Project in coordination with the rest of the HGG team.
As staff lead for measures, the Coordinator is a key member of the small HGG professional team. S/he works closely with the HGG Executive Director, HGG Assistant Coordinator, Steering Committee, Working Group, and partners to achieve HGG's priority objectives, using an integrated approach. The Measures Coordinator reports to the HGG Executive Director and supervises HGG interns and contractors, as needed. A new paid part-time graduate assistant position (or equivalent) is planned to support the Coordinator.
REPORTS TO: HGG Executive Director
LOCATION: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
MAJOR DUTIES:
Complete Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard & Promote its Use:
1. Jointly plan and facilitate measures meetings and associated events with the Measures Team Co-Chairs and Core Team to achieve tangible outcomes. This includes 2-3 full Measures Team meetings each year, expert meetings, and Aloha+ Challenge and/or Dashboard briefings.
2. Identify and engage key leaders, partner organizations, and technical experts for a strategic and effective statewide public-private network to promote joint action, accountability, collaboration, information exchange, resource leverage and consensus building to advance the Aloha+ Challenge targets.
3. Work closely with the lead sustainability staff from the offices of the Aloha+ government signatories (the four counties, Governor's office, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs) to ensure continued engagement, ownership, understanding and use of the Dashboard to guide priority-setting and action. Help support and strengthen staff and capacity in these key offices as appropriate.
4. Represent HGG and the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard and Measures project with key stakeholders, including elected officials; government, business and non-profit partners; media, etc.
5. Promote the Aloha+ Challenge through effective outreach and communications including presentations, outreach events, and stakeholder meetings.
6. Help secure annual HGG Measures budget (approximately $200,000- $300,000) from diverse sources, including government and foundation grants, private contributions and in-kind support from Measures Team members and others. Manage the overall budget, disbursements, contracts, grants, etc.
7. Develop long-term viability plan to maintain the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard through 2030. This will include identifying key partner organizations and HGG's role.
8. Assist HGG Executive Director to integrate the strengths of the Measures Team and network into the design of a statewide governance, leadership and network structure with diverse stakeholders.
9. Work with HGG Communications Chair, communications consultant and staff to ensure strategic communications and outreach for the Aloha+ Challenge, the Dashboard and HGG via diverse media, including working with Measures Team members' communications staff and mechanisms.
10. Serve as the main supervisor for the HGG Measures Fellow. Supervise and coach HGG interns, staff, contractors, consultants and volunteers to achieve agreed objectives.
11. Perform other duties as assigned.
Interviews with Chief Executives on the Aloha+ Challenge
Hawai'i's governor, the four mayors and the leadership of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs signed the
Aloha+ Challenge Declaration
at a press conference on July 7th 2014, agreeing to achieve six sustainability targets by 2030.
Interviews with the
Aloha+ Challenge
signatories and leaders:
Governor David Ige
Mayor Kirk Caldwell
Mayor Billy Kenoi
Mayor Alan Arawaka
Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr.
Ka Pouhana Kamanao'pono Crabbe, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Former Governor Neil Abercrombie
Interviews with all Chief Executives in July 2014
University of Hawai‘i President David Lassner
Jacqueline Kozak Thiel, first Sustainability Coordinator for the State of Hawai'i
Honorable Ronny Jumeau, Seychelles Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing State Issues -
Coming soon!
Learn more about the
Aloha+ Challenge
.
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