A group of young people are suing the state Department of Transportation for not taking more action on climate change, and the state is suing the oil companies for producing global warming, adding to judicial congestion. A letter to this paper some time ago pleaded for someone to “do something” about climate change before it is too late for Hawaii. That writer, like these two suits, misunderstands Hawaii’s place in reducing global warming, or affecting the result for our state.
There is little question that climate change is occurring globally. What we should be wondering is the extent that humanity, as a whole, can do something about it. Hawaii’s responses need to be a balance between mitigation and a livable society. The impact on Hawaii will be beyond our influence, dependent upon what the world does about greenhouse gas production. Although we should attempt to minimize Hawaii’s contribution, nothing we do here is going to change the impacts of global emissions, nor the results of natural phenomena. Climate scientists are in unanimous agreement that what we are experiencing is a result of both.
Global measurement of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken at the top of Mauna Kea, and is widely considered the standard measure by climate scientists. Currently, it is 424 parts per million (ppm), based on observations at 13,600 feet by Scripps/NOAA. Hawaii (including incoming aircraft) is estimated to produce about 0.017 ppm, or about 4/1000 of 1% of world CO2. That miniscule amount cannot possibly impact the results of climate change, here or anywhere.
The state Department of Health, in its April 2023 Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, found that about half of Hawaii’s emissions are from transportation , or about 2/1000 of 1% of global CO2. Of that, 40% is ground transportation. The rest is basically commercial aviation, and there is disagreement as to whether flights to Hawaii should even be attributed to us. Removing commercial aviation from Hawaii’s emission calculation leaves us with ground transportation at about 1/1000 of 1% of global emissions.
These are the sources the complaint against the Department of Transportation alleges, over which the agency has negligible control. Disruptive restrictions on ground and air transportation (virtually shutting down tourism) would reduce our CO2 contribution to a point which would have no climate impact in Hawaii. Putting economic sanctions on oil companies and transportation to address Hawaii’s infinitesimal amounts of CO2 would come right back to us all, in the cost of living here.
This state needs to look more closely at its climate change responses in the context of global CO2, and the lives and choices of our 1.4 million residents, and the 10 million visitors we host annually. These are legislative issues, not court issues, and there is much the Legislature could do in 2024.
For example, to reduce CO2 produced by electrical generation, commercial and residential rooftop owners need financial incentives to invest in solar panel coverage that will maximize the export of clean power to the grid. This is a subject not yet taken up by the Legislature or Hawaiian Electric, representing a huge opportunity to avoid covering more of the aina with black glass panels.
While it may be satisfying to sue agencies and Big Oil for climate change, our efforts will be better spent focusing on adaptation and mitigation. For Hawaii, there is no order a court can make, nor is there a punishment for the past, that will change our climate future. We are subject to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, for better or worse, and need to be practical about our responses. Looking for blame and compensation will not help.
Brian Barbata is a former energy executive, a founding director of the Kauai Island Utility Co-op, and former owner of Hawaii Photovoltaics, LLC.
