HI SCR129

Hawaii's Senate and House adopt and endorse the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which was created at the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2014 and has received endorsements from 200 entities including governments, corporations, civil society, and indigenous peoples.

The NYDF outlines 10 global targets for protecting and restoring forests with potential to reduce annual carbon emissions by 4.5 to 8.8 billion tons of CO2, equivalent to annual United States emissions, and supports the UN Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The 10 NYDF goals include: stop forest loss; eliminate deforestation from agriculture; reduce non-agricultural deforestation; support alternatives to deforestation for subsistence needs; restore forests; quantify conservation targets for 2030; reduce emissions from deforestation; provide financing for forest action; reward countries reducing forest emissions; and strengthen governance and indigenous rights.

The Legislature urges federal leaders to embrace the NYDF goals and make sustainable development the centerpiece of national policy.

Hawaii will transmit certified copies of the resolution to the President, Congress leadership, UN officials, Hawaii's congressional delegation, and county mayors.