A call to action

RisingTideHawaii

It’s time to act

HB 226 passes legislature! Governor’s signature next.

Hawai`i needs your help.

You’ve seen “An Inconvenient Truth,” you’ve changed some light bulbs, now you can help change some laws. A bill is currently pending on the Governor’s desk that would identify, regulate, and reduce Hawaii’s contribution to global climate change. The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2007 (HB 226), sets a clear regulatory limit on the amount of global warming pollution that Hawai`i can emit. Governor Linda Lingle must act on the bill before early July 2007.

On average, each Hawai`i resident adds four pounds of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere every hour of every day. We now know that all those pounds are changing our climate. Scientists say that heat-trapping greenhouse gases contribute to stronger hurricanes, rising sea levels, hotter summers, and prolonged drought. Currently, Hawaii has no law on the books limiting the amount of global warming pollution we create. While each of us can – and must – do our part individually to reduce our “carbon footprint,” we need policy changes to ensure that steps necessary to stabilize the climate actually occur. The Global Warming Solutions Act is a cautious, yet meaningful, policy response to address the problem. It’s just a signature away from becoming law.

latest information:

• Media on the passage of HB 226: Star-Bulletin article; Star-Bulletin photo; KHON 2 report; KITV report.
• Editorials on the measure: Advertiser Editorial; Star-Bulletin Editorial.
• Read an op-ed on the Global Warming Solutions Act here.
• April 20 New York Times editorial on Global Warming and Global Security

news release on the passage of HB 226:

Historic global warming bill passes legislature

House Bill 226 sets enforceable statewide greenhouse gas limit
Hawai`i to become second in nation with pollution cap

STATE CAPITOL — Today, both the State House and Senate passed a landmark measure to reduce Hawaii’s contribution to global climate change. The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2007 (HB 226 CD1), sets an enforceable limit on statewide greenhouse gas emissions in Hawai`i. When Governor Linda Lingle signs the measure into law, Hawai`i will be the second state in the nation with such a cap on global warming pollution. The measure received bipartisan support and passed by a wide margin, 48-2 (1 excused) in the House and 23-2 in the Senate.

“Global climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation. Today, the legislature is rising to meet that challenge,” said Jeff Mikulina, Director of the Sierra Club, Hawai`i Chapter. “The Global Warming Solutions Act is really a promise to future generations that we are serious about solving this problem.”

The Global Warming Solutions Act establishes an enforceable statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to be achieved by 2020 that is equal to or less than the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted in 1990. The measure also directs the state Department of Health to conduct rulemaking over the next four years to determine how best to achieve that limit. The majority of the work to chart the transition to cleaner energy sources lies with the newly created greenhouse gas emissions reduction task force and the state Department of Health and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. The bill excludes greenhouse gas emissions from air transportation, an amount which was 21% of total emissions in 1990, due to Commerce Clause and jurisdictional concerns.

The Sierra Club credited conference committee chairs Senators Ron Menor and Rosalyn Baker and Representative Hermina Morita for crafting an effective and workable measure. Credit for securing passage of the measure is also due to Majority Leaders Senator Gary Hooser and Representative Kirk Caldwell.

“I pushed for the passage of this important legislation because the single greatest threat to our environment is global warming,” said Senator Ron Menor (D – Mililani), Chair of the Senate Committee Energy and Environment. “The enactment of this bill into law will position Hawaii as a leader in environmental protection. States must take the lead when the federal government fails to adequately address a critical issue like global warming.”

“In the past sessions the legislature has taken significant steps to decrease Hawai`i’s over reliance on imported fossil fuels by promoting renewable energy and energy conservation and efficiency,” said Representative Hermina Morita (D – Hanalei, North Kaua`i), Chair of the House Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection. “However, the legislature recognizes that we can no longer wait to meet our moral obligation to future generations for a safe, healthy and secure environment. House Bill 226 is a meaningful, but measured, plan of action to address Hawai`i’s contribution to global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through regulation.”

Currently, Hawai`i has no law on the books limiting the amount of greenhouse gases produced. For decades state leaders have talked about the need to reduce our dependence on imported oil and transition to clean energy sources. But today, in 2007, Hawai`i consumes more fossil fuel and emits more greenhouse gas than any other time in its history. Currently, each Hawai`i resident, on average, puts four pounds of global warming pollution into the atmosphere every hour. According to state estimates, Hawai`i’s greenhouse gas emissions will reach 25 million tons annually by 2020 if trends continued unabated. Achieving the limit in the Global Warming Solutions Act will require roughly a 15% decrease in the amount of greenhouse gas currently emitted statewide. But more critically, it is approximately 25% less than the amount of global warming pollution Hawai`i would be emitting in 2020 under the “business as usual” scenario of no change.

Advocates admit that the emissions reductions contemplated in the Global Warming Solutions Act are modest – in fact they fall short of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement which was signed and ratified by 166 countries and called for, on average, a 5% decrease in 1990 emissions levels by 2012. But House Bill 226 starts the reduction process and puts Hawai`i on track to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 80% of the current levels by 2050, the level that climate scientists say is necessary to stabilize atmospheric concentrations and prevent the most severe consequences of global climate change.

“This bill aligns our policy with the scientific consensus,” said Mikulina. “But it also aligns our economic and environmental goals as a state. Currently, we export billions of dollars annually for fossil fuels that, when burned, will contribute to devastating economic impacts on Waikiki and our coastal communities. We need to keep our energy dollars in Hawai`i paying for good, green-collar jobs in the clean energy and energy efficiency industry.”

Global climate change not only threatens Hawaii’s environment and economy, it may dramatically alter island residents’ way of life. Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, under the auspices of the United Nations, issued its latest report “Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.” Should heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, current scientific consensus predicts a future very different than one to which we are accustomed. The Pacific Ocean may inundate most of Waikiki, the business district in Honolulu, and coastal resort areas on other islands. Islands’ aquifers may become increasingly contaminated through saltwater intrusion. More severe storms and hurricanes may pummel the islands. Droughts may be more prolonged, and subtle shifts in island microclimates may rapidly increase extinctions of endangered plants and animals.

“Our very survival as an island community depends on curbing global warming,” said Isaac Moriwake, Chair of the Sierra Club, Hawai`i Chapter and Earthjustice attorney. “We need to do our part and lead the way in protecting our planet’s future. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.”

“The passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act is truly historic,” said Mikulina. “Future generations will remember the leadership and action taken on their behalf.”