Hawaii becomes first state to declare climate emergency
Hawaii is poised to become the first U.S. state to declare a climate emergency after the Legislature’s adoption Thursday of State Senate Concurrent Resolution 44. More than 1,900 jurisdictions across the world have taken similar steps.
Hawaii could become the first US state to declare a climate emergency after the Legislature’s adoption of State Senate Concurrent Resolution 44 last week. The bill would call for statewide collaboration towards efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
The text of the resolution calls for a collaborative effort to address the effects of the crisis and come up with ways to halt the increase of global temperatures.
Although it does not have any forceful language requiring immediate action on the climate crisis, the resolution calls for state lawmakers to seek ways to prohibit “any further public or private investment or subsidies in projects that will make the climate emergency worse, such as coal, oil, gas, and tree-burning projects.” It also asks for lawmakers to pass bills that facilitate investments in low- and zero-emission projects, including reforestation efforts throughout the state.
While more must be done, climate activists in the state have praised the move. Environmentalists say every day action is delayed — the problem gets worse. While the state has a clean energy goal of 2045, they say more planning for the future needs to start today.
Regardless of what happens at the federal level, the passage of Hawaii’s resolution sets the stage for more states to acknowledge the urgency of the climate crisis.
