Chapter 37 Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience

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§ 37-1-3 H AWAI‘I C OUNTY C ODE “Office” means the office of sustainability, climate, equity, and resilience. “Resilience” means the ability to withstand social, environmental, and economic shocks and stressors with minimal human, environmental, and economic costs, risks, and damages. “Sustainability” means a balanced approach of managing present day environmental, social, and economic needs and maintaining a healthy lifecycle through a trauma informed framework to fulfill the needs of current populations that does not compromise the needs of future generations, and ensures harmony between economic growth, environmental systems, and social well-being. “Trauma” means an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. “Trauma informed” means an approach to service provision that infuses knowledge about trauma into agency programs, policies, and procedures to promote the safety and well-being of clients, visitors, staff and volunteers by actively resisting the re- traumatization of participants, individually and as a whole. (2023, ord 23-56, sec 3; am 2024, ord 24-8, secs 3 and 4.)37-1-3 Section 37-1-4. Authority to adopt rules and regulations. The sustainability administrator is authorized to adopt rules and regulations as the office deems necessary for the administration of the conduct of the office’s business. Rules shall be adopted pursuant to chapter 91, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes. (2023, ord 23-56, sec 3.)37-1-4 Article 2. Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience. Section 37-2-1. Duties of the office of sustainability, climate, equity, and resilience. (a) Policy and program development. The office shall: (1) Establish policies and programs to promote sustainability, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and build the County’s resilience to the impacts of climate change and other natural and human caused hazards. These policies and programs shall be developed after consideration of resources such as the County’s general plan, County community development plans, County multi- hazard mitigation plan and County climate action plan, State law, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. SUPP.16 (7-2024) 37-2