Hawaiʻi showcased its climate leadership by declaring at COP26 that net-zero greenhouse emissions is not enough — we must go below zero to save islands. As part of the U.S. Climate Alliance, Governor Ige brought 13 high-ambition coalition pledges to COP26, and showcased the state’s HI Impact Actions which illustrate Hawaiʻi’s commitment.
The effects of climate change in Hawaiʻi are being felt mauka to makai, from the increasing wildfires ravaging our native forests in the highlands to the eroding beaches and deteriorating infrastructure along our coastlines.Hawaiʻi and other Pacific island nations are extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts for various reasons…
Robert Repetto and Anukriti Hittle // March 2, 2021
As the state’s Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission ponders its many mandates to coordinate action in Hawai’i, it is looking with interest at how to incorporate damages from greenhouse gases into public projects. There are many measures that the State of Hawai’i might adopt to reduce…
Megan Gonsalves and Anukriti Hittle // January 26, 2021
2020 has been a year that many may liken to a dystopian novel, though instead of labeling workers as “alphas” “betas” “gammas” or “epsilons”, we have been deemed essential or unessential. While some might view essential workers as the lucky ones, the sacrifices made by them as they continue to work in highly social jobs in the midst of a pandemic are often overlooked…
If there is one thing that we can agree on about the pandemic it is that traffic has been a dream. Free flowing, sometimes even allowing motorists to actually go up to the speed limit, and traffic jams are almost an anomaly. Of course, the circumstances are far from ideal, but imagine a post-pandemic world…
Think about how a place that now stores single occupancy vehicles (aka a parking lot) can be transformed into hub of activity that brings options and amenities to all people—not just those who own cars. Imagine how this valuable land could be used for transit, bikes, bikeshare, carshare, e-bike and e-freight parking, electric vehicle charging, drones, AVs…
Read a summary of this piece in the HDOT Newsletter (March 2021) here.
Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands Staff // July 17, 2020
We’ve reached a tipping point in which near complete loss of beach resources is a realistic future if shoreline management practices are not significantly altered. The root of the issue stems from the fact that many beach-front homes sit atop coastal sand berms. These berms were formed in centuries…
Compared to other first world countries, American workplaces employ notoriously strict policies when it comes to allowing for flexible working conditions such as maternity leave, vacation, and teleworking. Not surprisingly, the typical American office has barely changed for nearly a century. Until COVID-19 changed everything, including how we work…
Read a summary of this piece in the HDOT Newsletter (July 2020) here.
Hawai‘i is facing grave impacts from climate change and sea level rise and must adapt quickly. At the statewide 2020 Climate Change Conference in January, one thing became clear: Hawai‘i needs to be doing more and doing it fast. Scientists, community leaders, climate activists, artists, and policymakers from around the country discussed how Hawai‘i can build on its progress…
Economists at theIMFsay a carbon tax is the single most powerful way to combat climate change. Some say economists are out of touch with the “real world” –and that’s probably true. But Hawaii’s state Senate, which surely is in touch, has actually passed carbon tax legislation…