State and County Climate Actions
Our commissioners are dedicated to taking climate action this year. Follow along with the progress each department is making towards their goals.
Renewable Energy
Hawaii State Energy Office
Provide support and resources to deploy renewable energy and meet Hawaiʻi’s Renewable Portfolio Standards.
Clean Transportation
Hawaii State Energy Office
Support state offices transition their vehicles to zero emissions vehicles by 2035.
Decarbonization
Hawaii State Energy Office
Complete the tasks outlined in the Hawaii Pathways to Decarbonization Report.
Renewable Energy
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Retrofit and add photovoltaic and storage to existing facilities. Investigate opportunities for geothermal energy deployment.
Emissions Inventory
Department of Health
Develop and update the statewide GHG emission inventories showing carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions.
Fleet Electrification
Department of Land and Natural Resource
Purchase electric or hybrid vehicles for the Engineering Division.
Solar Installation
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Install photovoltaic systems with battery back up to baseyard facility buildings.
Distributed Energy
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Develop a demonstration project for distributed energy resources.
Clean Transportation
Hawaii State Energy Office
Support the Department of Transportation to meet the goals of the Navahine settlement.
Solar Adoption
Hawaii State Energy Office
Support the Department of Transportation to meet the goals of the Navahine settlement.
Clean Energy/ Transportation
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Foster projects that address greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy and clean transportation.
Energy Efficiency
Hawaii County
Optimize energy efficiency in county facilities.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
Department of Transportation
Finalize the plan to build out the pedestrian, bike & transit network in partnership with the Counties in 5-years
Low Carbon Transportation Materials Program
Department of Transportation
Prepare stakeholders for Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) requirements in 2026.
Hydrogen Fuel Cargo Handling
Department of Transportation
Implement a pilot project to test hydrogen-fueled cargo handling equipment in Honolulu Harbor
Clean Transportation
Hawaii County
Initiate projects to support transition to zero emission vehicles.
SolSmart Solar
Hawaii County
Achieve “SolSmart” designation and accelerate and remove barriers for clean affordable solar.
Energy Efficiency Rebates
Hawaii State Energy Office
Provide residential energy upgrades for low- and moderate-income Hawaiʻi households.
Integrating equity in Planning
City and County CCSR Office
Advance equity and recognize the role of indigenous knowledge in planning documents.
Equity for Native Hawaiians
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Participate in State and County efforts to prioritize equity issues for native Hawaiians.
Hawaiian homestead Resilience
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Implement the “Developing Community Resiliency for Molokai Coastal Homesteads” project
Equity Office Partnership
Department of Health
Partner with the Office of Health Equity to develop equitable programs
Communications Strategy
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Hire a communications contractor experienced in education and outreach to under represented and over burdened communities
Solar for all
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Utilize financing exclusively for low-income households and disadvantaged communities.
Equity Goals
Department of Transportation
Establish and integrate equity goals into policies and processes
Building Performance
Hawaii State Energy Office
Adopt a Building Performance Standard to improve energy efficiency of commercial buildings.
Hazard Mitigation
Hawaii State Energy Office
Fund the mitigation projects under the Hazard Mitigation grant Program including battery backup for medical needs.
Emergency response
Hawaii State Energy Office
Conduct training and activate emergency response for natural disasters.
Building Performance
Hawaii County
Partner with HSEO to adopt a Building Performance Standard.
Climate Adaptation Strategy
City and County CCSR Office
Implement actions in the Climate Adaptation Strategy
Irrigation Generators
Department of Agriculture
Provide generators for irrigation systems in preparation for Public Safety Power Shutoff.
Disaster preparedness
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Increase visitor and business awareness of the emergency response plan.
Resilient Development
Hawaii Community Development Authority
Develop climate resilient design and siting for buildings in the Kakaʻako and Kalaeloa development districts.
Waikiki action plan
City and County CCSR Office
Create an action plan for Waikiki including a risk profile and actions for infrastructure resilience.
Risk Assessment
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Analyze hazards on DHHL land and contribute to hazard and vulnerability plans.
General Plan
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Emphasize climate, sea level and community resilience in the department General Plan.
Climate Adaptation
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Prepare infrastructure for resilience to sea level rise, extreme weather and climate change.
Resiliency Financing
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Connect borrowers to affordable capital to implement resiliency measures.
Flood mitigation
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Reduce flood risk through improvement to DLNR facilities.
Resiliency Education
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Promote Play Books for households to gauge their resiliency.
Sea Level Rise Vulnerability
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Participate in ongoing efforts to analyze sea level rise and coastal hazard vulnerability.
Disaster preparedness
Department of Aquatic Resources
Develop disaster and emergency response plans and conduct trainings.
Shoreline
setbacks
Hawaii County
Establish shoreline setbacks to reduce the risk of coastal hazards.
Wildfire Evacuation Study
Hawaii County
Conduct a wildfire evacuation traffic study for Waikoloa Village.
Disaster preparedness
Department of Aquatic Resources
Develop disaster and emergency response plans and conduct trainings.
Shoreline
setbacks
Hawaii County
Establish shoreline setbacks to reduce the risk of coastal hazards.
Kahmehameha Highway coastal resilience
Department of Transportation
Significantly progress the Kamehameha Highway Coastal Resilience Long Range Plan – Hauʻula to Kualoa, to be completed in 2026.
Port Adaptation Plan
Department of Transportation
Develop digital twins for nine commercial ports to support a statewide port adaptation plan.
Airport emergency plans
Department of Transportation
Ensure airport emergency plans are current and encourage airport tenants to incorporate resiliency and sustainability practices in infrastructure projects and their operations.
Staff Training
Hawaii State Energy Office
Hire an outside firm to train staff in cultural competency.
Kūkulu Ola & Kahu ʻāina
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Update eligibility criteria for the programs to favor community initiatives and traditional ecological knowledge.
Place Based Knowledge
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Establish partnerships with cultural organizations to incorporate place based knowledge into planning.
Place Based Management
Department of Aquatic Resources
Support community initiatives which strengthen connection to the place.
Native Practices
Department of Aquatic Resources
Host wetland workshops which share Native Hawaiian restoration practices.
Indigenous knowledge
Department of Health
Incorporate indigenous knowledge in the Climate and Health Working Group.
Native Hawaiian Participation
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Organize outreach to descendants with ties to the HOST Park land.
Native Hawaiian Consutation
Department of Transportation
Complete a Native Hawaiian Consultation Protocol.
Storytelling
training
Hawaii County
Build community voice and root work in place-based knowledge through participatory storytelling training.
Energy Storage
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Finance energy storage systems for household resilience
Clean Transportation
Hawaii State Energy Office
Fund the replacement of medium/heavy duty vehicles with battery electric vehicles through federal grants.
Financial Education
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Provide financial literacy education and resources to plan for climate change.
Transportation options
Kauai County
Accelerate mode shift through completion of the County Path and Bikeways Master Plan and Safety Action Plan.
Clean Transportation
Department of Health
Fund diesel emissions reduction through federal grants.
Lender Assistance
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Support growth and deployment of a workforce to implement the Solar For All grant.
Fuel Supply and repowereing
Hawaii State Energy Office
Develop a strategy to reduce costs, emissions and attract investment to the electricity sector via an alternative fuels and repowering analysis.
Funding opportunities
Department of Transportation
Support state and county agencies in training to access federal funding and grants.
Cesspool Conversions
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Convert cesspools in high priority areas.
Qurator Program
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Support the Qurator Program and provide environmental badges for businesses which demonstrate efforts to reduce waste, emissions, water and energy use.
Zero Waste Program
Hawaii County
Launch a Zero Waste pilot program.
Carbon accreditation and recycling
Department of Transportation
Accredit airports to Carbon Accreditation Level 3 and continue hosting recycling drives
Haze control
Department of Health
Implement the Regional Haze Rule to reduce greenhouse gasses and protect visibility at National Parks.
Wetland Partnerships
Department of Aquatic Resources
Build community partnerships at wetland restoration sites.
Regenerative Tourism
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Promote regenerative and climate smart practices through updating the criteria for the Kahu ʻĀina program.
Wildfire Safety
County of Kauai
Require new developments to have multiple access points, and other wildfire safety measures including buffers between wildland areas and fuel reduction zones.
Native Plant Investigation
Department of Aquatic Resources
Investigate the capacity of native aquatic plants to sequester carbon.
Wetland Protection
Department of Aquatic Resources
Implement the Protection and Restoration Strategy for Wetlands.
Mitigating pollution
Department of Hawaiian Homelands
Mitigate land-based pollution and emissions via the ʻĀina Mauna Legacy Program, federal grants and related huis.
Destination Management
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Increase areas that offer shuttle services to visitors following the model of Haena State Park.
Fishpond restoration
Department of Transportation
Engage with the community and support a fishpond restoration project.
Facility Emissions
Department of Health
Ensure power producing facilities are in compliance with required emissions caps.
Climate and Health program
Department of Health
Continue to build the Climate Change and Health Program.
County collaborative team
Department of Health
Lead the County Collaborative Team in hosting health public awareness campaigns.
Department Facilities
Department of Health
Address internal procedures to reduce the carbon footprint of Department facilities.
One Water plan
City and County CCSR Office
Participate in the Board of Water Supply City One Water Plan to plan for the impacts of climate change on water resources.
Salt pan restroration
County of Kauai
Complete the Habitat Restoration Planning, Engineering and Design for Salt Pond Beach Park and Historic Salt Pans at Hanapēpē project.
Sea level rise evaluation
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Evaluate Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation facilities for sea level rise and identify improvements.
Coral Reef Resilience
Department of Aquatic Resources
Engage community groups in coral reef restoration for bleaching resilience.
Coral reef modeling
Department of Aquatic Resources
Conduct statewide modeling of coral reef restoration scenarios and coastal protection benefits.
Ocean acidification advocacy
Department of Aquatic Resources
Increase public understanding of ocean acidification via bill development and adoption.
Makai Restoration Action Plan
Department of Aquatic Resources
Complete and implement the Makai Restoration Action Plan to enhance protection of coastal ecosystems.
Water Reuse Financing
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Incentivize water reuse for residential developments via financing.
Youth Program
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Continue the HOST Park tour program for K-12 students to learn about the importance of sustainable energy and environmental stewardship.
Youth Transportation council
Department of Transportation
Convene quarterly meetings to advise on climate mitigation and adaptation
Data analytics
Hawaii State Energy Office
Develop a state governance framework for energy data to create common data standards across the state’s energy sector.
Climate Awareness
City and County CCSR Office
Host and attend events to foster climate awareness, and update climate action plans.
Green Business Awards
Hawaii State Energy Office
Continue to support the Hawaii Green Business Awards.
Community engagement
Department of Health
Continue hosting tables at outreach events, participating in the Climate and Health Working Group, and facilitating public awareness campaigns.
Workforce Development
Hawaii State Energy Office
Continue the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi program to increase training and employment in the renewable energy sector.
Interagency collaboration
Department of Agriculture
Collaborate with other government agencies on climate solutions.
Adaptation and action plan
County of Kauai
Complete and adopt the Kauai County Climate Adaptation and Action Plan.
East Kauai Community Plan
County of Kauai
Integrate climate change, pre-disaster recovery planning and adaptation solutions to the East Kauai Community and Circulation Plan and incorporate community feedback.
Education, Outreach and Engagement
Hawaii State Energy Office
Inform the public on costs and benefits of the energy transition using federal funding, and the Clean Energy Wayfinders Program.
Energy Education
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Create a best practices Play Book for participants to use when adopting solar.
Website
County of Kauai
Maintain the Climate Adaptation and Action plan website as a community resource.
Proactive Outreach
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Continue direct outreach at community events.
State agency Collaboration
Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority
Collaborate with state agencies to raise awareness of programs.
Community outreach
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Engage the West Hawaii community through events.
Community Partnerships
Hawaii County
Collaborate with Community Based Organizations on Climate Change projects.
Working Groups
Hawaii County
Establish working groups for climate action and support sustainability working groups
Public information
Hawaii County
Develop a comprehensive public information program for the Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience
Collaboration
Hawaii County
Continue participation in various working group, hui and network meetings.
Collaboration
Department of Transportation