KALAHEO — About 50 key leaders and stakeholders from across the state recently convened on Kauai to develop recommendations for the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard. The group discussed shared metrics to track progress, provide accountability and advance action on Hawaii’s statewide
KALAHEO — About 50 key leaders and stakeholders from across the state recently convened on Kauai to develop recommendations for the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard.
The group discussed shared metrics to track progress, provide accountability and advance action on Hawaii’s statewide 2030 sustainability goals.
Celeste Connors, executive director of Hawaii Green Growth, said tracking Hawaii’s sustainability goals is critical to achieving the Aloha+ Challenge.
“The dashboard holds exciting opportunities for innovation to capture community-driven data, increased county-level measures and enhanced visuals and interactive features,” said Connors. “Its purpose is to inform policy and inspire action.”
The Aloha+ Challenge was launched in 2014 by the governor, county mayors, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, state Legislature and a number of public and private partners.
Hawaii Green Growth serves as the lead entity for the challenge.
Leaders made a commitment to achieve integrated sustainability goals in the areas of clean energy, food production, natural resource management, waste reduction, smart sustainable communities, green workforce and education.
The goals provide a framework for setting priorities, tracking progress and catalyzing action on sustainability and community resilience.
Counties have taken turns hosting an annual challenge statewide meeting focused on one sustainability goal.
Kauai held the 2004 meeting on clean energy and hosted the recent meeting on smart sustainable communities that include areas like climate resilience and disaster management, affordable housing, mobility, economic prosperity and connection to place.
Last week, Connors spoke at the United Nations Oceans Conference in New York, where Hawaii was recognized for leadership on the Paris climate agreement as well as the Aloha+ Challenge.
Hosting the meeting were the County of Kauai, Hawaii Green Growth and National Tropical Botanical Garden.
