Hawaii-2023-HCR192-Introduced

WHEREAS, humanity's runaway greenhouse gas emissions are changing the climate and have created an ecological crisis; and

WHEREAS, the public generally recognizes and understands the impacts of climate change on infrastructure and the built environment but have less of an understanding of the health impacts of climate change; and

WHEREAS, the World Health Organization recognizes that climate change adversely impacts the social determinants of health, which include food security, economic stability, strong social and community support networks, healthy environments, and access to quality health care and emergency services; and

WHEREAS, recognizing the urgent need to combat climate change, Hawaii became the first state to declare a climate emergency by adopting S.C.R. No. 44 in 2021, declaring a climate emergency and requesting statewide collaboration toward an immediate transition and emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate; and

WHEREAS, scientific consensus indicates public health will be impacted because climate change will increase the incidence of increased heat, vector-borne diseases, crop failure and food insecurity, water insecurity, waterborne diseases, extreme weather events, air pollution, and adverse mental health impacts due to these climate stressors and collective eco-grief, which refers to the deep sense of loss and overwhelming emotional response felt when learning about and experiencing the catastrophic destruction of the environment due to climate change; and

WHEREAS, as an island state, Hawaii remains particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, thereby endangering the health, safety, and welfare of the people, warranting preemptive and protective action; and

WHEREAS, vector-borne diseases are expected to increase in Hawaii as invasive insect vectors reach the State, become more endemic in Hawaii's changing climate, and spread disease; and

WHEREAS, crop failure and food insecurity are expected to increase globally and in Hawaii as weather patterns and climatic systems become less stable and less favorable for current agricultural practices, reducing access to locally grown food and resulting in a shift to more inexpensive and processed foods that lead to poorer health outcomes; and

WHEREAS, water insecurity is expected to increase as changing climate patterns reduce the sustainable replenishment of Hawaii's groundwater aquifers and the aquifers' ability to meet the needs of the State's population; and

WHEREAS, the incidence of waterborne disease is expected to increase as sea level rise, heavy storms, and flooding events create more vectors for the spread of pathogens and the flooding of the State's outdated cesspools releases hazardous waste into aquifers, waterways, and infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, extreme weather and heat events are expected to become more frequent and serious and damage public infrastructure, physical health, and mental health; and

WHEREAS, studies find that there is an increased incidence of aggression and violent crimes when temperature increases, with every one degree Celsius increase potentially causing a six percent increase in violent crime; and

WHEREAS, the mental health impacts of climate change are evident in the form of eco-grief and other detrimental mental health effects; and

WHEREAS, living through climate disasters can result in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, increases in substance abuse and risky behavior, and detrimental mental health effects from declining physical health, loss of social support and employment, population migration, and community change; and

WHEREAS, air quality is expected to worsen as the number of trade wind days in Hawaii decreases and pollen and mold increase; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has already begun taking in many Pacific Islanders who have experienced forced migration due to sea level rise and the ecological degradation of their home islands, which may increase the risk of conflict between communities due to the rapid changes in population and cultural demographics; and

WHEREAS, the public is vulnerable, as climate action is not viewed as urgent because the public has not been informed of the full spectrum of public health risks posed by the climate crisis; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, the Senate concurring, that the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission is urged to develop a proactive and comprehensive communication strategy to educate Hawaii's residents about the health impacts of the climate crisis; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission is urged to use federal Inflation Reduction Act funding and work with other state agencies, local governments, and community organizations to develop a public health engagement strategy that:

(1) Is led by Native Hawaiian communities and communities most reliant on the natural environment;

(2) Best communicates how the climate crisis will uniquely affect public health in Hawaii;

(3) Addresses eco-grief and aims to improve any adverse mental health responses experienced when people understand the severity of this public health crisis; and

(4) Aims to improve the mental health, public health, and resiliency of Hawaii's residents so that the public is informed and prepared to tackle the climate crisis; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission is urged to submit a progress report to the Legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2024, detailing actions taken, the most vulnerable communities, and the amount of funding necessary to improve its outreach and the effectiveness of its communication strategy in the future; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Co-Chairs of the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Communication Strategy; Climate Change

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	192
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII