THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	111
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

encouraging the adoption of recommendations from the United nations global plastics treaty and rapa nui summit declaration to address climate justice and sustainable development.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the world is experiencing a triple planetary crisis associated with climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution; and

 

     WHEREAS, people of the Pacific acknowledge the invaluable wealth of the ocean for present and future generations; and

 

     WHEREAS, recognition of the invaluable contribution of indigenous peoples; leaders and local communities; and the crucial role played by women, youth, and the traditional knowledge passed on by elders is fundamental for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty is a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution on the planet, aiming to address the full lifecycle of plastics from production to disposal; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty creates a common standard for plastic consumption across countries to:

 

     (1)  Establish regulations for plastic products and uses;

 

     (2)  Support a circular economy that prioritizes reuse and recycling;

 

     (3)  Manage plastic waste in an environmentally sound way; and

 

     (4)  Provide financial support and align public and private expenditures and allocations; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty also requires signatories to:

 

     (1)  Phase out all unnecessary plastic products that pose a high pollution risk, including single-use items and excessive packaging;

 

     (2)  Establish binding and specific design requirements of plastic products that lead to a decrease in plastic consumption; and

 

     (3)  Match strong binding measures with ambitious mechanisms to enable effective implementation and a just transition, including robust technical and financial assistance; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty holds all countries to a high common standard on plastic consumption and creates a clear path toward a future free from plastic pollution along with a level playing field that incentivizes and supports national actions; and

 

     WHEREAS, one benchmark of the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty includes the overall reduction in plastic packaging by thirty percent incrementally over twelve years, with the first incremental reduction of ten percent required by 2027; and

 

     WHEREAS, another benchmark includes phasing out single-use plastics including but not limited to plastic bags, straws, to-go containers, polystyrene food ware, and coolers; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawai i can explore and incentivize local establishments to adopt systems prioritizing refill and reuse containers, thereby eliminating reliance on single-use plastics; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State should aim to:

 

     (1)  Improve reporting, transparency, and traceability of chemicals and plastics throughout their full life cycle;

 

     (2)  Advocate for chemical simplification and group-based approaches to regulating hazardous chemicals;

 

     (3)  Implement chemical monitoring, testing, and quality control;

 

     (4)  Create economic incentives that follow the waste hierarchy; and

 

     (5)  Generate support for a just and equitable transition to protect individuals, including waste pickers, who are impacted throughout the life cycle of plastics; and

 

     WHEREAS, recognizing the connection between human health and reducing plastic pollution while reinforcing the need for upstream intervention on production, eliminating toxic chemicals, establishing producer responsibility, and subsidizing and advancing nontoxic reuse systems, can help the State to alleviate the effects of plastics on society; and

 

     WHEREAS, Rapa Nui hosted a global and regional summit declaring major priorities around plastics in Moananui kea; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Rapa Nui Pacific Leaders Summit addressed plastic pollution in the Pacific Ocean by aiming to:

 

     (1)  Promote actions to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution in Moananui kea;

 

     (2)  Foster ocean conservation and protection; and

 

     (3)  Highlight the importance of integrating scientific and traditional knowledge; and

 

     WHEREAS, adopting the recommendations provided in the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty and Rapa Nui Summit Declaration will better position the State to address the harmful effects of plastics; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body encourages the adoption and implementation of the recommendations from the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty and Rapa Nui Summit Declaration applicable to the State to address climate justice and sustainable development; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body encourages the State to undertake effective, inclusive, sustainable, and rights-based considerations to address the challenge of plastic pollution and the degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body encourages the adoption of actions promoting protection, conservation, and the sustainable use of the ocean, including preservation of marine biodiversity and ecosystems and implementation of mechanisms to increase marine resilience, especially among indigenous peoples and local coastal communities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body supports the promotion of culture-based climate justice, utilizing the principles established in the Charter of the United Nations and the Charter of the Pacific Islands Forum; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body encourages greater participation in the United Nations human rights, sustainable development, and climate processes promoting rights, fundamental freedoms, and protection of the planet; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, members of Hawai i's congressional delegation, and the Governor.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

Report Title: 

United Nations; United Nations Global Plastics Treaty; Rapa Nui Summit Declaration; Climate Change; Sustainable Development