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The Center for American Progress reports
Hawaii's Governor David Ige (D) signed a bill on [June 4] implementing the most ambitious climate law in the United States. The new law, which comes into effect July 1, sets the goal for the state to become carbon neutral by 2045.
Along with the carbon neutral bill, Governor Ige also signed two other climate bills into law. A second bill requires the state to use carbon offsets to restore the state's forests by planting trees which will help absorb carbon from the atmosphere. And a third law mandates that sea level rise be factored into the review process for building projects.
[...] Ige [noted]: "Sea level rise is already having an impact on beaches, roadways, and homes near the shoreline. As a result, we face difficult land-use decisions, and requiring an analysis of sea level rise before beginning construction is just plain common sense."
The carbon neutral bill notes that Hawaii could see $19 billion worth of damage from sea level rise.
Hawaii now surpasses Rhode Island as the most ambitious state when it comes to tackling climate change. Rhode Island aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
Before introducing the three laws, Hawaii already had some of the strongest climate policies in the country. This includes a target introduced in 2015 to reach 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. And last year, despite President Trump's announcement to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, Hawaii became the first state the introduce a law to uphold the Paris climate target of limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius.
As an archipelago in the Central Pacific, however, Hawaii relies on carbon-heavy modes of transport: planes and ships. This is one reason why the state chose to pursue a carbon offset program, Scott Glenn, head of the state's environmental quality office [said].
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Sulla on Thursday June 07 2018, @05:05AM
I like the idea of the different states tryng different ideas, states taking risk and successfully implementing "green" plans that work out for the economy are a great way to show other states the possibilities.
There are good ideas and reasons to go for renewables and reduction of carbon that should be attractive even to the most ravent conservative, but they are not being sold correctly. Sell the ideas and show how they will be beneficial from a stance of energy independence, high paying new jobs, and increases in effeciency rather than just saying that anyone who doesnt like them is a retard and a denyer. Green tech is too wrapped up in being a good political way for either side to split the population and stay in power, but the merit of the tech itself is breaking through that barrier slowly.
A redneck should love an electric truck based just on the drastic increase in possible torque, sell the idea that way and you can get more people on board without resorting to the traditional angry tactics.
Good luck hawaii.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam