S.C.R. No. 144 Summary

• Expresses support for Hawaii's bid to host the 2016 World Conservation Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an event held every four years that attracts approximately 8,000 delegates from 160 countries.

• Highlights Hawaii's qualifications as a host, including over 28,000 native plants and animals (90% endemic), two World Heritage Sites, leadership in sustainability and biocultural conservation, and the Hawaii Green Growth Initiative.

• Notes that Hawaii was one of two finalists competing to host the 2016 congress, with the other being Istanbul, Turkey, and that a final decision was scheduled for May 2014.

• Acknowledges that the IUCN has never been held in the United States and that Hawaii's island location offers a unique opportunity to focus international attention on ocean resources and island systems.

• Directs certified copies of the resolution to be transmitted to the President, Secretary of State, Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor, and various state and county officials.