The U.S. State of Hawaiʻi is a group of islands situated some 3,200 kilometres southwest of the North American mainland, with a population of almost 1.5 million. As the heart of one of the richest cultural and ecological regions, Hawai‘i merges the economies and cultures of east and west.
With 28,000 native plants and animals, 90% of which are endemic, the Hawaiian Islands showcase diversity in nature, culture, conservation and sustainability through a combination of traditional wisdom and modern knowledge.
Holding the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2016 will highlight environmental action such as the 2010 Executive Order which directed US agencies to increase their ability to maintain healthy, resilient and sustainable oceans, coasts and Great Lakes resources to benefit present and future generations.
Hawaiʻi has set the goal of doubling its locally-produced food supply by 2030. Its new strategy to increase local food production by 2020 and ambitious local agriculture programmes hold great promise, as do cross-sector partnerships such as the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council and the Hawaiʻi Association of Watershed Partnerships. Achieving 70% clean energy by 2030 is a top priority for Hawaiʻi and one of the most aggressive energy goals in the United States.
Hawaiʻi has also launched the Aloha+Challenge: A Culture of Sustainability – He Nohona ‘Ae‘oia. This state-wide joint leadership commitment sets clear targets for clean energy transformation, local food production, natural resource management, waste reduction, smart growth, climate resilience, green jobs, and education, to be achieved by 2030.
