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Home My WebLink AboutRES 052 Draft 01 2024-202611 4CV�tOF COUNTY OF HAWAI`I STATE OF HAWAI`I +rat ,TFOF H►' RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2024 HAWAI`I COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT YOUTH CONGRESS ON THE 2030 SUSTAINABILITY GOALS FOR THE STATE OF HAWAI`I. WHEREAS, the first Hawaii County Sustainability Summit Youth Congress (hereinafter "Youth Congress") was held on May 2, 2024, in Kailua-Kona with members of the Hawaii County Youth Commission and more than 80 middle school students and their teachers; and WHEREAS, the Youth Congress participants gained valuable experience in civics, subject research, negotiation, public speaking, teamwork, and problem solving, empowering them to become informed and active citizens who can drive positive change in their communities; and WHEREAS, the Youth Congress participants developed an enhanced understanding of sustainability issues in Hawaii County, specifically the 2030 sustainability goals for the State of Hawaii, through six mentored committee sessions that focused on natural resource management, smart sustainable communities, solid waste reduction, clean energy transformation, local food and green workforce, and education; and WHEREAS, after participating in these committee sessions, members of each committee presented their proposed amendments for inclusion in a Youth Congress resolution during a general assembly where students passionately articulated their viewpoints, negotiated with their peers, and worked toward building a consensus in a final resolution addressing the 2030 sustainability goals; and WHEREAS, attached hereto is Exhibit A, a resolution from the Youth Congress presenting its findings and recommendations on the 2030 sustainability goals; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I that it hereby commits to taking into full consideration the findings and recommendations of the 2024 Hawaii County Sustainability Summit Youth Congress on the 2030 sustainability goals for the State of Hawaii. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the County of Hawaii offers its sincerest appreciation to the Hawaii County Youth Commission, middle school students, and teachers for participating in this inaugural event. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Joshua B. Green, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawai`i; the Honorable Brian E. Schatz, United States Senator; the Honorable Mazie K. Hirono, United States Senator; the Honorable Edward Case, United States Representative; the Honorable Jill Tokuda, United States Representative; the Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi, President of the Hawai`i Senate; the Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura, Speaker of the Hawai`i House of Representatives; the Honorable C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D., Mayor of the County of Hawai`i; the Honorable Richard T. Bissen, Mayor of the County of Maui; the Honorable Richard Blangiardi, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; the Honorable Derek S. K. Kawakami, Mayor of the County of Kaua`i; the Honorable Alice L. Lee, Council Chair of Maui County Council; the Honorable Tommy Waters, Chair of Honolulu City Council; the Honorable Mel Rapozo, Council Chair of Kaua`i County Council; Kenneth S. Fink, M.D., Director of Health of the State of Hawaii Department of Health; and Keith T. Hayashi, Superintendent of the State of Hawaii Department of Education. Dated at Kona , Hawai`i, this 22nd day of January , 20 25 . INTRODUCED BY: OUNCIL MEM ER, COUNTY OF HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX Hilo, Hawai`i GALIMBA X HUSTACE X I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by INABA X the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the KAGIWADA X County of Hawai`i on January 22, 2025 . KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X KIERKIEWICZ X ATTEST: KIMBALL X ONISHI X VILLEGAS X 8 0 1 0 Reference: C-79/Waived GOEAC Y CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 5 2 25 2 I 11 04168 10511M On"AWAI'l SUSTAINABILITY COUNTY OF HAWAI`ISUMt s � s YOUTH CONGRESS RESOLUTION 2024 A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE HAWAI`I COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY SUM UT YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 ON THE 2030 SUSTAINABILITY GOALS FOR THE STATE OF HAWAI`I WHEREAS on May 2nd, 2024, the County of Hawaii convened the inaugural Hawaii Youth Congress to provide a platform for the youth of Hawaii to contribute their findings and recommendations regarding the 2030 sustainability goals adopted by the State of Hawaii; and WHEREAS the Natural Resource Management committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 finds that native species are being harmed, invasive species are rapidly increasing in Hawaii nei, and there is a lack of knowledge of Komo Ka`ihi (animals with negative impacts); now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONFRESS 2024 that a hands-on program in the County of Hawaii will be available to our lahui to provide knowledge on the negative impact on indigenous species, along with our environment; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a one -unit high school Malama `Aina course, including education on invasive species, shall be created and all high school graduates in the State of Hawaii will be required to obtain 1 credit in a Malama `Aina course; and WHEREAS the Green Work Force and Education committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 finds that only 8.5% of schools in Hawaii have accessible education pertaining to sustainability programs and goals such as the Aloha+ challenge, and our goal is to increase the accessibility of these programs by making them a part of the regular curriculum at public and private schools across the state, and ensuring that there is equitable funding for these programs; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 that more funding should be dedicated from the Department of Education for schools with below average state testing scores, and there should be observers to make sure our educators are teaching purposefully; and WIIEREAS the Clean Energy and Transportation committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 finds climate change is affecting every community in Hawaii, forcing us to adapt to new systems and Hawaii Island has 59 buildings with a footprint of over 5,000 square feet, encompassing 121 meters, accounting for 5,555 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually; and WHEREAS Hawaii Island has 14,000 photovoltaic systems, and although we are committed to the goals set by the Aloha+ challenge, we need more renewable energy systems in place to achieve them; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 that the County of Hawaii should require all buildings to have photovoltaic systems on the rooftops and require all parking lots for large buildings with high energy needs to have overhead covering photovoltaic systems, with excess energy diverted to a micro -grid within the community; and WHEREAS the Clean Energy and Transportation committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 also finds that climate change is affecting every community in Hawaii, especially local businesses and including the tourism industry; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 that the County of Hawaii should require profit from hotels and tourism activities to go to clean energy systems for hotel complexes, as well as require an increasing percentage of energy powering the hotels to be clean energy, and provide incentives to local and non -local businesses to lower their carbon emissions; and WHEREAS the Solid Waste Reduction committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 finds Hawaii is producing too much waste across the pae `aina. There is 1.4 million pounds of waste produced every day in Hawaii, with 1.44 million people in Hawaii, 300,000 of which are kids under the age of 19, and waste produced in schools from youth needs to be reduced; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 that the schools should self -evaluate, and be evaluated by the Department of Education and the Department of Health, and graded based on materials such as bio-degradable and food waste that are not diverted. The grading shall be based on an A-F scale and poorly graded schools shall follow options suggested on how to improve their waste diversion and further help the community. In order to improve school waste evaluations, options should be provided for waste containers and offerings to local farmers or `aina educators. Schools should have until the next evaluation to go forth and follow their options and use these resources to help reduce waste reduction or share waste with those who may need it. Schools that are doing well can help out around the community and educate others on food that's being wasted; and WI1EREAS the Local Food committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 finds that according to hawaii.gov, Hawaii imports 85-90% of its food from the continental United States or other sources, and there has been a 10.4% decrease this year in the number of farms in Hawaii due to infrastructure development or just ceasing production, according to civilbeat.org; and WHEREAS a lot of local public schools here only offer electives and extracurriculars for agricultural programs, rather than required courses for farming practices; and WHEREAS there is not enough coverage about local food production. One example is the multiple loko i`a (fishponds) located in Hilo, Hawaii, specifically Keaukaha; from the road, at first glance, it appears as if there are only 4 fishponds, but in actuality there are 12 that are not being promoted at all; now, therefore, kA BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 that the Local Food committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress call upon the Hawaii County to provide more marketing and campaigns for local non -profits dedicated to producing food here to have more community outreach opportunities, which can be implemented by providing public classes and required agricultural courses at all schools here in Hawaii; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED food insecurity and lack of local food production should be considered as one of the main problems facing our islands today. This resolution provides the call to action needed for the promotion of local food production and consumption; and WHEREAS the Smart Sustainable Communities committee of the Hawaii Youth Congress 2024 finds that according to the United Nations Development Program, only 50% of people showed public support for climate action when surveyed; and WHEREAS no one will change if they don't think change is necessary, and therefore we need to educate our local population on why change is needed to create a more sustainable community; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HAWAI`I YOUTH CONGRESS 2024 that education for youth and adults should be available through community engagement, work initiatives, and educational opportunities and these opportunities should consist of hands-on learning experiences and environmentally based team -building workshops; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after -school programs from 3rd through 12th grade, students should engage in hands-on experiences and sustainable learning, and the students may continue on the work to create policy creation -focused and solution -based projects; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that local sustainable small business should collaborate with community members to volunteer their time at different locations, including loko Pa (fish pond) lo'i kalo (taro patch) and other wahi pana (sacred site) across Hawai'i. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Joshua B. Green, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawaii; the Honorable Brian E. Schatz, United States Senator; the Honorable Mazie K. Hirono, United States Senator, the Honorable Edward Case, United States Representative; the Honorable Jill Tokuda, United States Representative; the Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi, President of the Hawaii Senate; the Honorable Scott K. Saiki, Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives; the Honorable Mitchell D. Roth, Mayor of the County of Hawaii; the Honorable Richard T. Bissen, Mayor of the County of Maui; the Council of Maui County; the Honorable Richard Blangiardi, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; the Council of the City and County of Honolulu; the Honorable Derek S. K. Kawakami, Mayor of the County of Kauai; the Council of the County of Kauai; the State of Hawaii Department of Health; and the State of Hawaii Department of Education. Dated at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, this 2nd day of May, 2024. �> rq r + 1�j 0 COUNTY OF HAWAII YOUTH CONGRESS WE, THE UNDERSIGNED DELEGATES OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT YOUTH CONGRESS, SUPPORT YOUTH CONGRESS RESOLUTION 2024 May 2, 2024 Kona Outrigger Resort and Spa Kaleiopapa Convention Center 78-128 Ehukai Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 Wey,PY Tar h 6cttkaet�eh 41A SUMM T r YOUTH CONGRESS WE, THE UNDERSIGNED DELEGATES OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT YOUTH CONGRESS, SUPPORT YOUTH CONGRESS RESOLUTION 2024 May 2, 2024 Kona Outrigger Resort and Spa Kaleiopapa Convention Center 78-128 Ehukai Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 At dog. At i t '4a wx COUNTY OF HAWAI `I SUSTAINABIL0 SUMM ' T l'Ill I IF 4 WE, THE UNDERSIGNED DELEGATES OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT YOUTH CONGRESS, SUPPORT YOUTH CONGRESS RESOLUTION 2024 May 2, 2024 Kona Outrigger Resort and Spa Kaleiopapa Convention Center 78-128 Ehukai Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 COUNTY OF HAWAII i 7, , SUSTAINABILITY SUNIM ' IT YOUTH CONGRESS WE, THE UNDERSIGNED DELEGATES OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT YOUTH CONGRESS, SUPPORT YOUTH CONGRESS RESOLUTION 2024 May 2, 2024 Kona Outrigger Resort and Spa Kaleiopapa Convention Center 78-128 Ehukai Street, Kailua-Kona., Hawaii 96740