Hawaii-2019-HR194-Introduced

WHEREAS, the State is recognized as a global partner and local leader in promotion of human rights and protection of the earth through its consistent acceptance of global standards that better serve our islands and the world; and

WHEREAS, Hawai‘i is guided by traditional Kanaka Maoli values and emerging international human rights principles to generate positive policy encouraging prevention and precaution regarding the planet; and

WHEREAS, in September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the historic "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" (2030 Development Agenda), which is a comprehensive, compassionate, creative, and courageous plan of action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity; and

WHEREAS, the 2030 Development Agenda includes seventeen sustainable development goals, one hundred sixty-nine targets, and two hundred thirty indicators upon which general agreement has been reached to measure, monitor, and mobilize to achieve these goals and targets; and

WHEREAS, goals 13 through 17 of the United Nations sustainable development goals are vital to protecting the State's land and people and should be adopted as local policy and governing principles for local government entities and other organizations; and

WHEREAS, goals 13 through 17 of the United Nations sustainable development goals are the following, respectively:

(1) Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts;

(2) Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development;

(3) Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss;

(4) Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and

(5) Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development; and

WHEREAS, in December 2015, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as Conference of the Parties, adopted the Paris Agreement that further limited the allowable temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius to protect our Pacific neighbors; and

WHEREAS, Hawai‘i continues to partner with other states, territories, and nation-states with the "We Are Still In" movement; and

WHEREAS, the Pacific islands in the Pacific Islands Forum for Oceania have undertaken creative campaigns to partner with the United Nations' specialized agency programs and funding, as well as participating in the United Nations' major forums, including the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which focuses on the United Nations sustainable development goals; and

WHEREAS, the Global Pact for the Environment (Global Pact) is an initiative led by the hosts of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris to address the fragmented nature and inconsistent implementation of international environmental law by enumerating fundamental climate change principles in one legally binding framework for current and future generations for equity and equality; and

WHEREAS, the Global Pact will serve as a cornerstone in international human rights and environmental law and create a more coherent global environmental governance; and

WHEREAS, the Global Pact addresses the challenges posed by environmental degradation in the context of sustainable development and induces a greater degree of uniformity for environmental laws in all states; and

WHEREAS, the Global Pact consists of over two dozen articles that cover a variety of topics and ideas to consider for implementation, including:

(1) The right to an ecologically sound environment;

(2) The duty to take care of the environment;

(3) Integration and sustainable development;

(4) Intergenerational equity;

(5) Prevention;

(6) Precaution;

(7) Environmental damages;

(8) Polluter-pays;

(9) Access to information;

(10) Public participation;

(11) Access to environmental justice;

(12) Education and training;

(13) Research and innovation;

(14) The role of non-state actors and subnational entities;

(15) The effectiveness of environmental norms;

(16) Resilience;

(17) Environmental non-regression;

(18) Cooperation;

(19) Armed conflicts;

(20) The diversity of national situations;

(21) Monitoring implementation of the Pact; and

(22) Other topics focusing on the Secretariat, signature, ratification, acceptance, approval, entry into force, denunciation, and depositary; and

WHEREAS, the Global Pact provides an agenda based upon the articles for grassroots and global action to generate the political will to protect the planet today and tomorrow; and

WHEREAS, the State desires to promote sustainable development where each generation can satisfy its needs without compromising the capability of future generations to meet their needs to respect the balance and integrity of the earth's and Hawai‘i's fragile ecosystem; and

WHEREAS, Hawai‘i emphasizes the vital role of women to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals and the necessity to promote gender equality and empowerment of wahine for global general well-being; and

WHEREAS, Hawai‘i is already involved in international initiatives to protect the planet and the Oceania region by actively participating in many United Nations annual sessions and meetings and by partnering with United Nations specialized agencies, programs, and funds, including partnering with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and participating in the United Nations Environment Programme; and

WHEREAS, in Hawai‘i, college, community, and capitol dialogues on the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Development Agenda, among other climate change topics, continue to generate genuine insight that contributes to Voluntary Local Reviews, which are voluntary reports to the United Nations on local progress on implementing the United Nations sustainable development goals; and

WHEREAS, local opportunities for the State's youth to learn about and participate in climate change initiatives include opportunities at colleges and universities that provide input on achieving the Global Pact, with a focus on research and innovation, and participation in a Hawai‘i human rights and resilience process; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawai‘i, Regular Session of 2019, that the State and each county are urged to adopt the Global Pact to achieve the United Nations Paris Agreement and the 2030 Development Agenda, and to specifically adopt the United Nations sustainable development goals, numbers 13 through 17; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Global Pact should be embraced and that protection of nature should be the centerpiece of the State's policies and practices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the United Nations Secretary General and High Commissioner for Human Rights, President and Vice President of the United States, President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, each member of Hawai‘i's

congressional delegation, Governor, and each mayor of the several counties of the State.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Climate Change; United Nations; Paris Agreement; 2030 Development Agenda; Sustainable Development Goals; Global Pact for the Environment; Adoptions

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	194
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII