Column: Together we can save our environment

While the planet’s larger, industrialized nations are responsible for producing the majority of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, small island countries and states like Hawaii suffer the most, environmentally and economically, from the current and exponentially growing climate crisis.

Back in 2007, Hawaii was the most dependent state in the country on imported fossil fuel, spending roughly $5 billion a year on foreign oil to meet its energy needs. And we were spending more than twice the national U.S. average on electricity.

Yet utility companies were skeptical about switching to renewable energy. We had to show them that instead of paying exorbitant shipping fees for a finite resource, renewable energy could be substantially more economical and beneficial to our local economy. Renewable energy harvested from Hawaii not only saves the state and our residents millions, it drives bigger profits, a revelation that transformed utility companies like Hawaiian Electric Industries into one of our best friends and loudest evangelists.

After advocating the benefits of renewable energy for the environment and the bottom line, we were able to work with state legislators to pass a landmark law, Act 97 in 2015, making Hawaii the first state in the country to legislatively mandate a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2045.

Since then, Hawaii has become a leader in sustainability, setting an example for 14 states and two U.S. territories to pursue and pass legislation or executive orders to transition to renewable or clean energy by 2045.

While the odds were initially against us, I never believed there was a challenge that could not be resolved. As human beings, we have always overcome obstacles, and have many more to tackle.

That is why I started the nonprofits Blue Planet Foundation, and most recently, Blue Planet Alliance. After achieving 100% renewable energy initiatives in Hawaii, I realized we need to expand our efforts globally and share our blueprint and lessons learned from Hawaii, to help other states and countries around the world.

One of our first initiatives is our EcoSprint workshops in partnership with Planet Home. Launched this past spring in Hawaii, this series of events allows us to gather and build a powerful global network of sustainability leaders and stakeholders. Together, we are mapping out and scaling solutions for each region and country to establish 100% renewable energy mandates.

Following Hawaii, we hosted an EcoSprint in Palau during the Our Oceans Conference. Shortly after EcoSprint Palau, the country’s President Whipps announced Palau’s commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2032.

We continue to target helping Small Island Developing States (SIDS) first, since they are most vulnerable to sea-level rise, extreme weather, and potential loss of arable land and safe drinking water. We look forward to hosting 10 other EcoSprints later this year.

Most islands, like Hawaii, have all the resources they need to power themselves: wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and biomass. They can power their own future and sever their reliance on expensive, imported fossil fuels. And we want to help them realize that they can transition to 100% renewable energy.

As each domino falls, the pressure will grow, influencing industrialized nations to take action and mandate change. Our EcoSprints could prove to be one of the most valuable tools we have in the global fight against climate change.

The consequences of not establishing 100% renewable energy are far too great, and the rewards are priceless — a cleaner, safer environment, and economically thriving and profitable communities putting back more than we take out.

If we band together, and follow the blueprint mapped out by Hawaii, we can help ensure other island countries and territories join this critical movement to save our planet, and our oceans.

It takes strength in numbers and banding together in this urgent movement to save our environment. We can regenerate our planet while generating sustainable power. We can do this!

Henk Rogers, founder of Blue Planet Foundation and Blue Planet Alliance, is a leading activist for renewable energy.