Climate Action Plan
2020-2025
Climate Action Plan
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a science-based, community-driven strategy for Oʻahu to combat climate change and eliminate fossil fuel emissions—the root cause of global warming. The CAP lays out a detailed list of programs, policies, and actions that our island can take, alongside state and federal actions, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45 percent over the next five years and put us on the path to carbon neutrality by 2045. Starting in summer 2024, the City will be updating its 2020-2025 CAP to cover 2025-2030.
This CAP honors the mandate by Oʻahu voters who amended our City Charter in 2016 with overwhelming approval to ensure that your government tackles the issue of climate change, increases City sustainability, and works with communities to build a more resilient Oʻahu. The CAP update is required by the City’s Climate Action Policy outlined in Ordinance 20-47 and is a requirement to remain in the Paris Climate Agreement.
Climate Action at a Glance
This CAP outlines 9 strategies and 47 actions for O‘ahu to pursue in the next 5 years to reduce our island-wide emissions on the pathway to a net-negative carbon economy by 2045. Fully implemented, along with other state and federal policies, this plan will reduce emissions 45% by 2025 from the transportation, electricity, and waste sectors.
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Transportation
Ground transportation—our cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, and other heavy-duty vehicles—accounts for 19% of O‘ahu’s GHG emissions, a trend that has remained flat over the last decade. Enabling safer, more affordable, and efficient transportation options for residents to take transit, bike, walk, or carpool can both reduce emissions and improve overall quality of life on O‘ahu.
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Electricity
Powering O‘ahu’s homes, businesses, industries, and increasingly electric vehicles creates about 35% of O‘ahu’s GHG emissions. Approximately 80% of O‘ahu’s electricity generation currently comes from fossil fuels. Strategies to expand energy efficiency and renewable energy infrastructure can help the City drive continued investment and innovation in decarbonizing the electricity sector.
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Waste
Emissions from waste and wastewater disposal and management are about 3% of O‘ahu’s GHG emissions. Landfills and fossil-fuel based plastic goods create a significant carbon footprint. Strategies that focus on both waste prevention and maximizing the efficiency of the waste we cannot avoid can help to reduce emissions locally while also having a notable impact on emissions elsewhere.
Action Is Already Underway
TheBus is Driving to a Clean Energy Future
The City now has 17 electric buses in its fleet, initializing the transition to electrify the City’s heavy-duty vehicle fleet and expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure island-wide.
Energy Service Company (ESCO) Partnerships
The City has selected two ESCO partners to help accelerate efforts to implement energy conservation and renewable energy opportunities at City facilities, while saving taxpayer dollars and boosting clean energy jobs.
Ward Avenue Protected Bike Lanes
As a part of the Honolulu Complete Streets program, the City is finalizing its newest protected bike lane on Ward Avenue from Ala Moana Boulevard to South King Street, providing an important connection within the growing Kaka'ako neighborhood and improving both bicyclist and pedestrian safety.
Built on
Community Voices
This CAP is built on a foundation of community voices. More than 2,000 perspectives were shared in workshops, community meetings, surveys, focus groups, and virtual open houses with the community, building on robust technical analysis from sector experts and the University of Hawai‘i and consultation with City departments.
The City released a draft plan for public comment in December 2020 and reviewed community’s input for incorporation into the final CAP. Following the public comment period, the Resilience Office held a virtual community meeting to present the draft CAP and address comments and questions from the public. If you weren’t able to join us, you can watch a recording of the community meeting and read the City’s responses to draft plan public comments.
