Honolulu among recipients of support to reach green goals

Honolulu has been selected as one of 20 cities to participate in the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge and will get a boost toward reaching its sustainability goals.

The challenge, launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in June, is a $70 million program that aims to accelerate cities’ efforts to promote a sustainable future and meet — or beat — their near-term carbon-reduction goals. As a winner, Honolulu will be accepted into a two-year program with access to resources to help meet its carbon-reduction goals.

“With Washington asleep at the wheel, cities across the country are driving America forward — and Honolulu is helping lead the way,” said Michael Bloomberg, former New York City mayor and United Nations special envoy for climate action, in a statement. “Their plan for a carbon-free corridor will steer the state — and our country — toward a greener future.”

Bloomberg visited Honolulu on Saturday to tour the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center and other sites and met with Mayor Kirk Caldwell to discuss the city’s sustainability initiatives.

The other winning cities include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., San Jose, Calif., Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

According to Bloomberg Philanthropies, Honolulu was selected because of its ambitious plans to reduce the use of fossil fuels with specific projects in its transportation and building sectors, which typically make up about 80 percent of all citywide emissions.

Caldwell, who joined Hawaii, Maui and Kauai county mayors in opposing the Trump administration’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan earlier this year, was also recognized for his commitment to climate action.

In June 2017, all four mayors joined Gov. David Ige in the state’s commitment to upholding the Paris climate agreement after President Donald Trump announced he would withdraw the U.S. from the international accord to address global warming. Only cities that committed to the Paris climate goals were eligible to apply for the Bloomberg challenge.

In December the four mayors committed to transforming Hawaii’s public and private ground transportation to 100 percent renewable fuel sources by 2045. Honolulu pledged to transition its fleet of buses and other vehicles to 100 percent renewables by 2035.

The winning cities will benefit from the support of experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Delivery Associates and others, a philanthropy-funded team member who will facilitate passage of high-impact policies, leadership training and support for citizen engagement.

Caldwell said Honolulu plans to use the support to increase its zero-emission transportation options, make buildings more efficient and maximize its use of renewable energy. Three goals the city hopes to achieve by 2020 are the opening of the first 11 miles of rail transit for service, developing more walkable neighborhoods connected by bike-sharing, electric buses and rail, and using mostly zero-emission travel options in Waikiki to decrease noise and pollution.