As part of its 2021 Legislative Program, the Hawaiʻi State Senate will be focusing on ten of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Senate has bipartisan dedication to the protection and sustainability of the islands’ people, communities, natural resources, and economic prosperity through advancing these U.N. goals.
In 2020, the Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic heightened these development goals, by shedding light on key areas that must be addressed to further our sustainable development goals and create a more sustainable Hawaiʻi.
The Senate are prioritizing the following Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal #3 – Good Health and Well-Being: Promoting health and well-being by implementing evidence-based strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, improving access to quality health care, supporting family caregivers, and improving local resiliency in health care by training medical professionals.
- Goal #4- Quality Education: To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by increasing access to broadband technology for all students, modernizing schools, carefully implementing plans for in-person and distance learning, and evaluating the teaching workloads and classifications of the University of Hawaiʻi.
- Goal #7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: To ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by promoting renewable energy and committing to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
- Goal #8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: To promote robust, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, opportunity for full and productive employment, and work for all, by improving Hawaiʻi’s economic resilience; aiding small businesses devastated by the coronavirus pandemic; diversifying industry; managing sustainable tourism; investing in access to broadband technology; and pivoting the State economy towards agriculture.
- Goal #9 – Industry Innovation and Infrastructure: To build resilient infrastructure., promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation, by investing in and preventing the exodus of local talent; diversifying the economy; assuring the digital accessibility to all communities; and promoting a creative resurgence in the culture and arts.
- Goal #10 – Reduced Inequalities: To promote social, economic, and political growth for all by supporting affordable housing and investing in broadband connectivity in underserved areas.
- Goal #11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: To continue the commitment to develop inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable neighborhoods by increasing access to affordable housing; reducing homelessness, increasing local food production to promote food security; investing in Farm-to-State programs; ending the housing shortage; investing in local talent; training local workers in technical jobs; and maintaining local infrastructure such as state parks, airfields, and small boat harbors.
- Goal #13 – Climate Action: To take urgent action to combat climate change by promoting sustainable tourism, exploring carbon sequestration, and investing in renewable energy.
- Goal #16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: To promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development; provide access to justice for all; and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels by examining government agencies that could be restructured and evaluating leadership and inmate training programs in correctional facilities in Hawaiʻi.
- Goal #17 – Partnership for The Goals: To continue to implement the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by creating effective public, private, and civil society partnerships by building on existing partnerships; enhancing a coherent policy for sustainable development; and improving the resiliency of the economy and healthcare systems in Hawaiʻi.
“In extraordinary times, we are called upon to take extraordinary actions,” said Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English. “By working together with public, private, and community sector partners, we will tackle the tough issues ahead and emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever.”