Hawaii Cities Commit to Fully Renewable Ground Transportation by 2045

Symbolically gathering on the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa, leaders from Honolulu, Maui, the island of Hawai'i, and Kaua'i signed a commitment "to transform Hawaiʻi’s public and private ground transportation to 100 percent renewable fuel sources by 2045," writes Rob Kinslow.

Signees included Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa, Kaua'i County Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. and Hawai'i County Managing Director Wil Okabe. "In their specific proclamations the City and County of Honolulu, the County of Maui, and the County of Kauaʻi pledged to lead the way by transitioning all of their fleet vehicles to 100 percent renewable power by 2035, and the County of Hawaiʻi plans to establish a goal toward the same end."

The commitments follow a 2015 state law that requires 100 percent of Hawaii's electricity to be generated by renewable sources by 2045. They are also "in alignment with the state of Hawai‘i’s recent commitment to the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius."