The State of Hawaii recently declared a “climate emergency,” a resolution that will guide the state’s officials to consider climate impact whenever a big national decision is made. The measure (SCR44) ensures “climate mitigation and adaptation efforts mobilize at the necessary scale and speed.”
Hawaii is a popular tourist destination with around 10 million visitors on a yearly basis. Tourism is a huge part of the state’s economy and the new bill could slightly alter the experience of tourists.
The first two out of four action points make sure to protect the locals as much as possible. “People locally and around the world have the right to clean, healthy, and adequate air, water, land, food, education, and shelter,” states one part of the resolution.
The next two points focus on tourism. A shift to electric vehicles available for rent will reduce gas emissions, and when it comes to locals, there are plans to open many new jobs in the renewable energy field.
Sustainable travel has been trending for a while, but without initiatives like this, there’s not a lot that individuals can do to make the situation better. Hawaii is setting a great example for others so we expect to see more similar initiatives in the future.
