The decision by President Donald Trump and his administration to withdraw from the Paris agreement to fight climate change has had a ripple effect across the globe. It has been met with condemnation from other world leaders, citizens around the world, and from most non-conservatives in the United States. Already, the top American diplomat in China has resigned from his post over the decision and now Hawaii has become the first state to independently pass laws to be in line with the agreement.
What did Hawaii do?
Now, Hawaii has taken a bold stand against President Donald Trump and is in favor of fighting climate change.
They have become the first state in America to pass independent laws that will legally implement parts of the Paris agreement. Hawaii's Governor David Ige, who has been in office since 2014, held the bill signing ceremony a few days ago in the capital of Honolulu.
During the event he emphasized that climate change is real, and that his state is seeing its effects first-hand, and that Hawaii has a responsibility to protect the Earth. He also said that Hawaii was dedicated to the U.S. Climate Alliance, a group of 12 state and Puerto Rico who have sworn to uphold the Paris agreement on a state level.
The two bills that Ige signed into law are Senate bill 559 and House bill 1578. Senate bill 559 is designed to develop strategies and procedures to lower greenhouse gases statewide, which is a major doctrine of the Paris agreement.
House bill 1578 sets up a Carbon Farming Task Force as part of Hawaii's Office of Planning. Their goal will be to support the development and growth of sustainable farming practices in the state.
History behind the bills
Both Senate bill 559 and House bill 1578 were introduced back in January as President Donald Trump started to do what many saw as taking apart the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and gutting many of President Obama's efforts to fight climate change.
Both bills were originally going to be signed in three weeks, but the ceremony was moved up after America withdrew from the Paris agreement.
Hawaii was quick to become the first state to do this, as they know the affects climate change can have on their closely connected environment and economy. Toward the end of May, the state saw the highest tides in the 120 years that it has kept a record of them. Rainfall patterns have also changed, which has caused more extreme weather, with the state setting several hurricane-related records in 2015.
