HONOLULU (HI Now) - The Care for ʻĀina Now (CAN) Coalition, a diverse alliance of leaders and organizations advocating for a dedicated environmental stewardship fee to restore and protect Hawai’i’s natural resources, recently released a new assessment of Hawai’i’s conservation finance needs.
The report, commissioned by Care for ʻĀina Now under the leadership of Hawai’i resident Dr. Jack Kittinger, shows that the state faces a staggering $560 million gap in annual funding required to protect its natural resources and safeguard communities from the escalating impacts of climate change.
“We cannot afford to wait,” said Dr. Kittinger. “Our state’s communities and economy depend on the health of our forests, coral reefs, beaches, and watersheds. The climate crisis demands that we take immediate steps to make our communities more resilient to the threat of wildfires, floods, and other climate-driven disasters.”
According to the World Health Organization, climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health, affecting the physical environment and both natural and human systems – including socio-economic conditions. CAN’s 2025 Priority Legislation is urging support for:
- An Environmental Stewardship Fee: Charge visitors an environmental stewardship fee annually (between $25-50 per individual), to finance environmental protection, restoration, and resilience efforts across the State. If passed, this could sustainably fund large-scale conservation, wildfire prevention, coastal protection, climate resilience projects, biocultural restoration, and natural resource care for public safety and economic livelihoods.
- Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) Allocation: When visitors book a hotel room, they pay a Transient Accommodations Tax that is allocated to a number of different priorities. Each year, environmental investment falls short of what is needed, despite visitors benefiting from Hawai’i’s environment throughout their trip.
“The longer we wait, the more costly the consequences will be,” said lawyer Denise Antolini, member of Governor Green’s Climate Advisory Team and CAN. “We need to learn from Lāhainā and California and other climate-driven disasters that have hit our communities hard. Hawai’i’s resilience depends on our collective action now. We are calling on our legislators to take the big steps needed this year to pass laws like the environmental stewardship fee to protect our ‘āina, our people, and our future.”
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In a poll conducted by FM3 Research in January 2025, more than three-quarters of visitors say establishing an Environmental Stewardship Fee is acceptable. Most visitors said such a fee would not impact their likelihood of visiting Hawai’i and in in fact, one quarter said such a fee would make them more likely to visit. Support for an environmental stewardship fee to safeguard Hawai’i’s natural resources by visitors spans all demographics, including age, gender, race, ethnicity, income level, education, and political affiliation. Key findings:
- 85% support among repeat visitors (2-3 times)
- 73% support among those with family in Hawai’i
- 73% support among frequent visitors (4+ times)
- 68% approval from first-time visitors and those planning a future trip
“Hawai’i welcomes 10 million visitors annually, yet faces a $560 million annual shortfall in critical funding needed to protect our lands, waters and communities,” said Kainan Miranda, Director of External Affairs at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Hawai’i and Palmyra. “This polling confirms that visitors recognize their kuleana—their responsibility—to help protect the natural beauty that makes Hawai’i unique. We need the help of our legislators this session to act now to address very the real crisis Hawai’i is facing. The CAN Coalition urges immediate support for environmental stewardship fee legislation to ensure a sustainable future for our Islands.”
Subscribe to CAN’s newsletter to receive easy steps in supporting legislative efforts to protect Hawai’i. Visit www.careforainanow.org for more information.
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