Hawaii Environmental Council Releases 2014 Annual Report

The Hawai‘i Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC) has released its 2014 Environmental Council Annual Report, identifying environmental priorities for the state and recommending measures for sustainability.

This year’s report identifies the top three priorities for the state as climate change, invasive species, and the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Conservation Congress, which will be held in Hawai‘i.

The report also outlines a sustainable future for the state, recommending the creation of a department of sustainability, and aiming for 30% local food production and 70% locally-generated, clean energy by 2030.

The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) for Hawai‘i is a central focus throughout the report, which accounts for economic impacts on society including environmental factors.

“There’s no roadmap for determining the appropriate dollar value to spend on protecting or restoring our personal and natural environment,” said Mark Ambler, Chair of the Environmental Council. “It is time we use new tools, like the GPI. The GPI provides a roadmap for intelligently targeted policy development and decision-making and should be systematically sited in legislation.”

The annual report is submitted to the governor and required by state law.