THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	56
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

SUPPORTING AN ECONOMIC TRANSITION THAT COMBATS CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCORPORATES CIRCULAR ECONOMY GOALS ROOTED IN ALOHA AINA PRINCIPLES.

 

 

        WHEREAS, the planet will reach a crucial threshold of climate change as early as 2030, and rising global temperatures threaten biodiversity in every ecosystem and cause widespread effects, including sea level rise; and

 

        WHEREAS, climate change is an emergency that requires changes in Hawaii's energy, agriculture, mobility, water, construction, industrial sectors, and development infrastructure to promote the health and well-being of the      ina and k  naka; and

 

        WHEREAS, the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission reports that a climate-ready Hawaii looks to Hawaii's ahupua   a concept, or the Hawaiian tenure system, because of the effective management of watersheds and agricultural lands, the protection of environmental and community health, and connecting communities with kuleana or responsibility to land and ocean environments; and

 

        WHEREAS, a circular economy models the transition of economic activities to be regenerative, equitable, resource efficient, and sustainable, yet still competitive, by closing loops within economic models; and

 

        WHEREAS, a circular economy focuses on the sustainable management of resources, specifically designing out waste and pollution, maintaining the value of existing products and materials, and regenerating natural systems; and

 

        WHEREAS, a circular economy changes the way we produce, assemble, sell, and use products and resources to minimize waste and reduce our environmental impact, and also values resource productivity, supports innovative solutions for resource efficiency, creates new job opportunities, and fosters behavior change through education and engagement; and

 

        WHEREAS, the adoption of circular economy principals is gaining momentum among governments, businesses, and non-profit organizations in places such as Australia, China, Denmark, and Germany, and most notably, the European Commission adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan in March 2020; and

 

        WHEREAS, there has been a massive growth in innovative, market-based technology solutions, and business models that can support Hawaii's transition toward a circular economy; and

 

        WHEREAS, a transition toward a circular economy will help address climate change and provide long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits for Hawaii; and

 

        WHEREAS, there is a resurgence in demand for Hawaii to reshape its economy to eliminate the overdependence on extractive industries; and

 

        WHEREAS, the adoption of a circular economy in Hawaii would model traditional Hawaiian values, including the core value of aloha      ina; and

 

        WHEREAS, aloha      ina represents a deep and abiding love for Hawai   i's communities and natural environment, while placing    ike k  puna, or native Hawaiian ancestral knowledge, as the foundation upon which collective action is determined to achieve pono, or balanced management of our resources and community health; and

 

        WHEREAS, aloha      ina promotes an abundant economic system that establishes inherently circular processes and structures such as lo   i kalo and loko i   a, which continue to be utilized by Hawaiian communities today; and

 

        WHEREAS, a statewide survey found that Hawaii residents support growing green economic industries such as food production, forestry, and natural resource management, and express community interest in economic transition toward more sustainable initiatives; and

 

        WHEREAS, over two thousand seven hundred individuals, businesses, and organizations have expressed their support and commitment for the State to adopt aloha      ina principles through the      ina Aloha Economic Futures Declaration; and

 

        WHEREAS, the principles of a circular economy would also help advance multiple initiatives, including those created by the Hawai   i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Taskforce, Hawai   i Clean Energy Initiative, Hawai   i 2050 Sustainability Plan, and Aloha+ Challenge; and

 

        WHEREAS, Hawaii is a leader in climate change and renewable energy goals, and has the potential to model an economy rooted in centuries of island-based values, such as sustainable practices, environmental health, and community well-being; and

 

        WHEREAS, with the adoption of circular economy goals that are practiced internationally in partnership with aloha      ina principles, Hawaii is poised to become a global leader in the transition toward a circular economy grounded in indigenous values; now, therefore,

 

        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the House of Representatives concurring, that in pursuance of the circular economy principles, all state agencies are requested to convene and participate in the Hawai   i Circular Economy Task Force that supports Hawaii's transition toward a circular economy by 2035; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any recommendations made by the task force achieve the following objectives:

 

        (1)   Consideration of circular economy values in decision-making in all economic transition efforts across government operations, including service delivery, infrastructure, purchasing decisions, and regulatory frameworks;

 

        (2)   Incorporation of circular economy principles in future policy and regulatory actions;

 

        (3)   Restoration of      ina and communities in a manner that elevates local self-sufficiency;

 

        (4)   Supporting efficient processing and reduction of waste streams across economic sectors to produce regenerative impacts on Hawaii's      ina and resources; and

 

        (5)   Consideration of utilizing the      ina Aloha Economic Futures Assessment Tool for decision making and allocations of resources unless inappropriate; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may invite individuals from additional organizations or agencies to participate in the task force; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Comptroller; Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture; Attorney General; Director of Finance; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Adjutant General; Chairperson of the Board of Education; Superintendent of Education; Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission; Director of Health; Director of Human Resources Development; Director of Human Services; Director of Labor and Industrial Relations; Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Director of Public Safety; Director of Taxation; Director of Transportation; President of the University of Hawai   i System; Administrator of the State Procurement Office; Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; Mayor of the County of Maui; Mayor of the County of Hawai   i; Mayor of the County of Kaua   i; Chairperson of the Honolulu City Council, Chairperson of the Maui County Council, Chairperson of the Hawai   i County Council, Chairperson of the Kaua   i County Council, who in turn is requested to provide a copy to each neighborhood board chairperson in their respective county; Executive Secretary of the Neighborhood Commission Office of the City and County of Honolulu; and the principal collaborative authors of the      ina Aloha Economic Futures Declaration.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:  

Circular Economy;      ina Aloha Economic Futures; Task Force