STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3708

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 107

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 107 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE AND EACH COUNTY TO ADOPT THE GLOBAL PACT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 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,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the State and all counties 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.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Climate Protectors Hawai‘i, 350Hawaii.org, Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association, Wild Kids, and two individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaii, as an island state, will acutely experience the effects of climate change and must continue to be a leader in climate change mitigation.

Your Committees recognize that 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. 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. Your Committees additionally find that 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.

Your Committees further find that the Global Pact for the Environment (Global Pact) is an initiative led by the hosts of the 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. Your Committees believe that the Global Pact will serve as a cornerstone in international human rights and environmental law and create a more coherent global environmental governance.

Accordingly, this measure promotes sustainable development and encourages continued statewide efforts to tackle the effects of climate change by urging the State and all counties to adopt and embrace the Global Pact and the United Nations sustainable development goals numbered 13 through 17.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 107 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair