HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

103

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

RECOGNIZING THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE CONSERVATION ECONOMY AND REQUESTING THE SUPPORT OF A CONSERVATION ECONOMY FROM THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, a conservation economy is one where economic wealth is harvested from a bioregion's natural resources in a way that meets local communities' needs and does not lessen the natural and social capital of the bioregion; and

 

WHEREAS, one of the guiding principles of the conservation economy is the protection of everything that makes our world:  land, oceans, living beings, diverse cultures, communities; and understanding that there are finite resources that must be carefully stewarded to ensure a more livable Earth for future generations; and

 

     WHEREAS, we live in a time of tremendous change, the extent of which is the subject of intense debate around the world, and at the heart of this debate is the clash between the immediate human need for food and water and the current human practices that have had a negative long-term impact on the land and water's capacity to support life, livelihoods, and heritage, including traditional indigenous subsistence living; and

 

     WHEREAS, population growth and the increasing migration of people across the country strains each state's biodiversity and land and water resources, resulting in a sense of urgency to understand how these actions affect storm water run-off, rain acidity, wastewater, and fish farm preservation; and

 

     WHEREAS, natural resource management, which monitors natural resources and integrates factors such as innovative science, sustainability practices, and traditional cultural knowledge through collaboration between all sectors, has been embraced in order to ensure food security, economic security, and the well-being of communities; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is a growing need and demand for new partnerships to be established across the country between state agencies, non-governmental organizations, conservationists, scientists, consumers, producers, urban planners, entrepreneurs, grassroots and indigenous organizations, and financiers in order to promote better management of natural resources through social, financial, technological, and environmentally friendly solutions; and

 

     WHEREAS, collectively, partnerships have the capacity to achieve environmental, social, and economic prosperity for future generations by advancing knowledge of nature's ecosystems and improving environmental stewardship through the traditions and customs of indigenous people, which embody mutual respect for one another and a commitment of service to the natural world; and

 

     WHEREAS, our nation's economy, future, and heritage, and the perpetuation of the health and well-being of its people, are inextricably intertwined with the health and well-being of the natural environment; and

 

     WHEREAS, technology such as wireless devices, advanced satellite monitoring, embedded microprocessors, weather stations, drones, and data-collecting robots help to develop natural resource management solutions; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that enduring conservation economies are made up of small and medium-sized business owners or "conservation entrepreneurs", in addition to social entrepreneurs who embrace a conservation ethic and take an interest in maintaining and nurturing ecosystems that contribute to the health and well-being of communities across our nation; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature recognizes the importance of embracing values and practices that better manage natural resources and the nation's diverse bioregional economies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages public and private sector businesses to aggressively seek new technologies and develop an educated workforce in order to promote better natural resource management; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recognizes the conservation economy as an emerging industry and encourages the United States Congress to support businesses and initiatives that grow the conservation economy; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Majority Leader and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, each member of Hawaii's congressional delegation, and the Governor.

 

 

 

Report Title:

Conservation Economy; Conservation; Natural Resources Management