At approximately 582,578 sq mi (1.5 million km²), Papahānaumokuākea (pronounced here) Marine National Monument is one of the largest fully protected marine areas in the world. The Monument was established in 2006 by President George W. Bush, and later in July 2010, the Monument was designated as the United States’ first mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage site, further cementing the global significance of this marine monument. In 2016, the Monument was expanded by President Obama—to four times its original size.
This unusual and vibrant national treasure is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot and a refuge for rare and endangered species. However it faces a multitude of threats. The breadth of profound impacts from climate change include, but are not limited to, sea level rise threatening remote islands and atolls, and coral bleaching and ocean acidification.
Meanwhile, invasive species and marine debris know no boundaries, threatening a delicate and unique ecosystem. Yet the latest threat comes by way of an executive order issued by President Trump, exploring the option to open national marine monuments to commercial fishing—which comes at an unacceptably high environmental cost.
While there’s literally millions of reasons to safeguard the Monument, here are just a few.
A kaleidoscope of marine species and abundance of apex predators
The waters of the Monument are home to over 7,000 marine species—that we know of. One quarter of these species exist only in the Hawaiian archipelago. Oceanographers acknowledge many denizens of deep waters remain undocumented and there are many species yet to be discovered. Apex predators abound in these waters, with upwards of 40 species of sharks, from the Galapagos, black tip reef and tiger sharks, to the globally endangered scalloped hammerhead shark.
Another apex predator is the ulua, or giant trevally, which can weigh as much as 170 pounds or more. Apex predators are important within the ecosystem for keeping populations of grazing fish or herbivorous species in check. The Monument is one of the last apex predator-dominated coral reef ecosystems in the world.
Native Hawaiian traditions recognize sharks and other large ocean animals as ancestral guardians or ‘aumākua, but targeted commercial fishing and by-catch will continue to push endangered populations toward risk of extinction.
Coral Reef: Vast stretches of nurseries, food and shelter
In the marine environment, coral reefs serve critical functions as nurseries that also offer shelter and food. They are essential habitat and play a role in carbon and nitrogen cycling, which helps to maintain ocean health. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument contains 3.5 million acres of coral reef—70 percent of the total coral reef area in the United States.
This marine monument is home to approximately 80 types of coral, nearly half of which are found only in Hawai’i. One is a feathery black coral species—ʻĒkaha kū moana in Hawaiian—which was only recently discovered in the Monument’s deeper waters. The Monument is also recognized for its “endemism”—when a species is found only in a specific place. No other coral reefs of similar size and expanse on the planet have a higher rate of endemism than Hawai‘i’s.
Some of the reefs have 100 percent of fish unique to Hawai’i.
The coral reefs in the Monument—and around the globe—are facing a common threat: rising water temperatures. This leads to bleaching and coral death, thereby reaffirming the importance of ongoing monitoring and research in the Monument, while reducing stressors on the corals, which includes destructive fishing practices.
On the fly: Seabirds, land birds, and migratory shorebirds
The marine sanctuary tops yet another list as the largest tropical rookery in the world. More than 14 million birds across 22 species call it home and its globally intact status only rivals that of Antarctica for undisturbed seabird ecosystems.
Nearly the entire world population of albatrosses call the Monument home. 99% of all Laysan Albatrosses and 98% of all Black‑footed Albatrosses spend their breeding seasons within the Monument, where they benefit from undisturbed habitat. This is important because albatross populations have suffered severe population declines as a result of commercial longline fishing, which is prohibited in the Monument.
A number of species, such as the Pacific Golden Plover, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Wandering Tattler, and Ruddy Turnstone, face a long haul flight from the Arctic to Pacific islands. The Monument serves as a protected migratory pitstop for birds on this epic voyage. While some seabird species feed within just a few miles of the islands, others, such as the Laysan albatross, venture as far as Alaska and California.
This oceanic hub is also an evolutionary hotspot, hosting multiple unique bird species found nowhere else on Earth. The Nihoa Finch, Laysan Finch, and Nihoa Millerbird evolved through adaptive radiation, an evolutionary process particularly common on islands, in which a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into many different species that are uniquely adapted to different niches or environments.
Birds are facing the threats of rising sea levels, which put their nesting grounds at risk, and they are also vulnerable to the extensive plastic debris that has accumulated in the ocean.
An ancestral space and spiritual link
A vast, expansive ocean; vibrant marine and bird life and the health of the ecosystem that sustain us all is central to the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument. A wahi pana, it is a place of great cultural significance and practice for Native Hawaiians and sacred area from which all life springs, and to which spirits return to after death.
Reflecting the rich, oral tradition of the Hawaiian people, its name reflects ancient traditions, recognized ancestors of Native Hawaiian people and the formation of the Hawaiian Islands.
“Opening the marine monument to industrial and commercial fishing disregards both ecological science and the Native Hawaiian practice of mālama—care—and mālama ʻāina—sustaining land/ocean for future generations,” said Jonee Peters, executive director of Conservation Council for Hawai’i.
]]>This is the enigmatic call of the Hawaiian petrel, or ‘Ua‘u, an iconic member of Hawai‘i’s natural heritage. Once common across the islands, human activities have driven these birds—like so many native Hawaiian species—to the brink of extinction. In 1967, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially listed the petrel as a federally endangered species.
But a recent series of wins is sparking renewed hope for the petrels. Successful efforts by the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i (CCH), the National Wildlife Federation’s Hawai‘i affiliate, and other environmental groups are paving a pathway to recovery for these birds, offering lessons other conservation efforts can follow.
The Story of the ‘Ua‘u
The Hawaiian petrel is a large oceanic seabird, with deep gray-brown back and wings contrasting with clean white undersides. It spends most of its life far out at sea, hunting schools of fish, squid and crustaceans, occasionally wandering as far as the west coast of the U.S. It’s unique for its diversity of nesting habitats, often utilizing high-elevation, mountainous slopes that can be significantly farther inland than other seabird nesting colonies.
The petrels hold a unique place in native Hawaiian culture, according to Bret Nainoa Mossman, a state natural resources specialist and CCH board member. Once common, the birds were a key food source for native Hawaiians. Breeding colonies were even used to denote traditional land boundaries. By nesting far inland, they play a critical role in Hawaiian ecosystems.
“They’re this vital connection between the ocean and the land, because they’re bringing in nutrients from way out in the ocean into our more mountainous areas, and feeding the forest,” Mossman said.
But over the last two centuries, European settlement has pushed the Hawaiian petrel to near-extinction—part of a broader trend that has earned Hawai‘i’ the nickname “endangered species capital of the world.” For petrels, non-native predators—including feral cats, rats and mongoose—pose the primary threat, but human infrastructure also interferes with behavior.
Birds use natural lights, such as from the moon and stars, to orient, so artificial light from resorts, streetlights and other sources creates confusion for young petrels. Disoriented birds may circle lights before they eventually “fallout” from exhaustion, suddenly dropping from the sky. On the ground, tired birds are vulnerable to predators, vehicle collisions, and starvation.
A Legal Windfall for the Hawaiian Petrel
In 2022, CCH first got word of several grounded petrels on the property of Maui’s Grand Wailea Hotel. The hotel sits at the base of Haleakalā, a volcanic mountain home to one of Hawai‘i’s largest remaining petrel colonies. CCH, led by Executive Director Jonee Peters, has since sued the hotel twice to reduce its impact on the birds, with the latest settlement coming with an agreement from the hotel to reduce the brightness of its lights and fund projects supporting petrel recovery.
Meanwhile, just a few weeks ago, CCH reached another major settlement with Hawaiian Electric, the state’s largest electricity provider, which resulted in over $1.4 million over three years to protect petrels and other seabirds. Only days later, it filed a new lawsuit against Maui County over streetlights that pose hazards to birds.
While CCH is clear that far more needs to be done to protect petrels, the organization hopes these legal victories send a clear message to other private and state actors to change their behavior. These wins are building on other encouraging signs for petrel populations, and thanks to other recent conservation efforts, like the construction of predator-proof fences around key nesting colonies, populations in certain areas are beginning to rebound.
A Roadmap for Hawaiian Birds
Sadly, many of Hawai‘i’s other birds remain under existential threat. Issues affecting seabirds—predators, light pollution—tend to be relatively easier to address with basic intervention tactics, while the primary problem affecting forest birds today—diseases spread by invasive mosquitoes—is far harder to manage. Of the eight Hawaiian bird species declared extinct in 2023 alone, all were small forest birds such as honeycreepers.
But this trend of extinction isn’t inevitable, according to Mossman, who believes we are capable of recovering all of Hawai‘i’s endangered birds.
“The tools that we need to save these species exist already,” he said. “The thing that we’re missing is the people power and the resources.”
And there are signs of hope, even for forest birds. Selectively bred mosquitoes infected with a common and safe bacterial strain, for example, have shown promise at reducing populations of disease-carrying species, and programs supported by CCH are underway to release these insects in important bird habitats.
Scaling these solutions, however, will require significantly more investment, particularly from the federal government. One federal proposal, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, could help fund the largest investment in Hawaiian bird conservation in American history.
But above all, Peters believes progress is only possible if we embrace collective action and stewardship over our lands.
“If everybody plays a little part—we call this “kuleana”, or responsibility—in protecting the native species and ecosystems in Hawai‘i, I think we could be a beacon for the world,” Peters said.
It’s this spirit of kuleana that has allowed the call of the ‘Ua‘u to begin reclaiming the night sky, high in the Hawaiian mountains. Whether we give the same opportunity to other species is up to us.
Read more: How Hawaiian Culture is Evolving Alongside Endangered Species
October was an especially painful moment for Hawai’i’s native bird populations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife announced it was delisting 10 bird species from the endangered species list—because they had gone extinct. All but two were from Hawaii.
This puts Hawai’i at the center of the country’s extinction crisis. Hawai’i is the extinction capital of the world, and more specifically, the bird extinction capital of the world, according to experts.
Many of Hawai’i’s birds are endemic—meaning they’re found nowhere else on earth. These birds are native to our islands and once they’re gone, a bit of Hawaiian culture dies with them. Endemic birds were incorporated into everyday life. They are depicted in traditional Hawaiian oli, hula and mele (chants, dance and songs). We named our children after our favorite birds, and named special places where specific birds were known to frequent. Master craftspeople utilized the specific feathers from specific birds in making exquisite capes, helmets, royal standards, lei’s and in other decorative pieces. Once these birds are endangered or extinct, a whole culture involving them goes extinct as well.
These rare birds are disappearing before our eyes because of climate change, invasive species/predators, and loss of habitat. It is our kuleana (responsibility) to kōkua (help) our native birds and other native species that are on the brink of extinction by using every tool available to us to fight these threats.
Mosquitoes are the problem. And the solution?
One of those tools is the use of Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) on mosquitos. Avian pox and malaria are decimating our native bird populations. Climate change and global warming allow the mosquitoes to inhabit higher elevations, squeezing out smaller areas for our native birds to escape. IIT would help combat deadly avian malaria by releasing male mosquitoes infected with the bacterium “Wolbachia,” which would suppress mosquito populations, thereby reducing the risk of transmission of vector-borne diseases. This method would be targeted for limited release on Kauai. Time to act is limited as our birds are going extinct now, yet the IIT process has been paused with court proceedings.
Our native honeycreepers are most at risk. We have five individuals of ‘akikiki left in the wild, and a few other birds like the ‘akeke’e, kiwikiu, and ‘akohekohe that are few in number. We are breeding a few in captivity, but we won’t be able to release them due to avian pox or avian malaria. If we don’t kōkua (help) now, we’ll lose more of our beloved species.
A mate’s last call
There are so many beautiful native bird calls in Hawai’i, but there is also a sad one. It was the call of the last Kauai O’o bird. He was calling for its mate, but it had perished. Males and females each have different calls and when they call together it’s like an orchestra of birdsong. But now, there isn’t a single O’o left on the face of this earth. This truly hits home as a Native Hawaiian, because this bird plays such a significant role in our heritage. The tradition was to pluck the bird’s yellow feathers then let the bird go. We only used the yellow feathers in making our traditional capes, helmets, royal standards, lei’s and other handiworks. Now what is left for the next generation? Our kids and grandkids can only see the O’o and the featherwork in the museum, and learn about them in books, song, chants, and hula.
There won’t be a bird that we can associate with in making these items or hearing them in songs. The whole tradition of bird catching, plucking feathers, crafting, and perpetuating that piece of Hawaiian culture died with that species. So this is what we must think of when we consider what’s at stake now. Are we willing to risk losing the few native species we have left?
Just as this bird needs its mate, we need our environment. In Ancient Hawai’i, just as my grandmother taught me, we associate everything in our environment, and this is ingrained in my being. Nothing is safe if our ecosystem isn’t safe.
Resources
- Hawai’i Wildlife Center
- Birdnote (listen to bird calls)
- Public News Service story
We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to two fantastic individuals—Emily Martin and Kody Osborne—who are now the newest staff members of the Federation’s Northern Rockies, Prairies, and Pacific region. They have recently joined us as Directors of Conservation Partnerships, covering Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawai’i and Alaska.
Meet Emily
Emily, who is based in Seattle, brings a wealth of knowledge to the Pacific region as she has spent the last decade as an organizer focused on getting young people involved in passing bold and equitable climate policy both at the federal and state levels in Oregon and Washington.
“As the new Director of Conservation Partnerships for Alaska, Hawai’i, and California, I’m excited to support the amazing work our affiliates are doing on the ground as they fight to protect their remaining wild spaces,” Emily noted, adding that she loves to spend time immersing herself in the natural beauty of the outdoors through camping and birding. Birds have been a timely issue recently in Hawai’i. In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that of the 10 species to be delisted from the endangered species list–due to extinction–all but two were from Hawai’i. This puts Hawai’i at the epicenter of the country’s extinction crisis.
“I was lucky to have the opportunity to support our affiliate, Conservation Council for Hawai’i, at the 2023 Festival of the Birds in Hilo, which was an incredible success, bringing together more than 700 people! After going virtual for two years, it was a spectacular celebration of wildlife and Hawai’ian traditions. The event was open to everyone, bird experts and bird curious, young and old to come together in person and to strengthen our commitment to ensuring that Hawai’i’s native and endemic bird populations thrive for generations to come.”
This fall and winter, Emily is planning on visiting both our Alaska and California affiliates. “I want to get a better understanding of the incredible work they’re doing so I can provide the support they need.” Emily’s dedication to understanding our partner’s work and providing essential support exemplifies the National Wildlife Federation’s spirit of cooperation with affiliates and partners.
Meet Kody
Kody, born and raised in the Northwest, brings an unparalleled passion for wildlife conservation, education, and climate advocacy in the region. As the new Director of Conservation Partnerships for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, Kody is engaged on a number of fronts for wildlife recovery.
“With the looming threat of extinction of storied salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia River Basin, I’m leaning in to the leadership of our affiliates and partners and following the lead of NW Tribes, to right historic wrongs. Working together, we can conserve the future for the region’s iconic species—orca, grizzlies, and more—for future generations”
Kody is based in Portland, Oregon, where he enjoys spending time in the beautiful natural settings of the Pacific Northwest and in a supportive community of action-oriented conservationists. Over the past few months, Kody has spent the majority of his time diving into the salmon recovery effort in the Columbia River Basin, which will require the removal of four dams on the Lower Snake River.
“Since I’ve joined the Federation, I’ve worked with affiliates, partners, Tribal leaders and subject-matter experts in Seattle, Boise, Portland, and they have generously shared their decades of experience, insight and expertise. It’s a great honor to be engaged in this campaign and I’m excited to be a key part of building momentum toward a viable and long-lasting solution.”
Kody’s vision for conservation success is founded in a commitment to amplify the voices of our Indigenous partners, upholding treaty rights, and habitat restoration for native species. “I see a clear path toward a shared goal working with and elevating the voices of our Tribal Partners.”
In early November, Kody attended the RUN in Unity gathering, an urgent convening of Northwest Tribes to address the cumulative negative impacts of the lower Snake River dams and how they contribute to salmon extinction.
“While the dams provide valuable services, the balance is lost. Salmon need clean, free-flowing rivers. The services from these dams can be replaced, but our salmon can’t. Tribes have long fought to retain our culture and traditions. It’s crucial now, more than ever, to ensure our treaties with the United States are honored,” said Nez Perce Tribe Chairman Shannon Wheeler.
In welcoming both Emily and Kody to the National Wildlife Federation team, we are excited to embrace both their expertise and dedication to the Federation’s mission.
When I first started photographing native forest birds on Kaua`i in the early 1980s the `i`iwi was common. Every year, in late September thru early November, when the colony of Trematolobelia kauaiensis (koli`i) on the Pihea Trail came into bloom, the `i`iwi was there to feed on it. There were often 3 or 4 birds on each plant vying for the nectar.
All day long it was a frenzy of activity and a cacophony of song. I made it my habit to sit by these plants every fall to enjoy and to photograph this spectacle. In the late 1990s, the number of `i`iwi visiting this koli`i colony began to decline. I would occasionally have to wait for an hour or so for one to appear.
In 2005, the `i`iwi failed to appear at all. In spite of many hours waiting by these flowers, I have not seen the `i`iwi on them in the last 13 years. The `i`iwi is the main pollinator of this lobelia. If nothing is done to stop the spread of avian malaria and pox, I fear that we will not only lose this magnificent endemic honeycreeper, but we may lose the plant as well.
I shifted my efforts deeper into the swamp. Another spot where I was always able to find them was a little upstream from where the Alakai Swamp Trail crosses the Kawaikoi Stream. I would sit on the slope up above and shoot down on them as they fed in the lehua in the top of the canopy. Again, it was a given to find 4 or 5 birds there, but even this place has now grown empty and silent.
Sadly, on Kaua`i, the once plentiful `i`iwi has become a very difficult bird to find.
About the Author
His photos have appeared in textbooks, conservation literature, and popular magazines including Audubon, Smithsonian, and National Geographic.
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This is happening on our watch: so what are we doing about it? A whole lot, but not enough and not nearly fast enough. Our window of opportunity is closing, but it’s not shut yet.
You can join the global conservation community in Hawai‘i September 1 – 10 at the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress to help define the path to a sustainable future. Learn about the latest in conservation and sustainable development from top scientists and experts. Share your ideas with heads of state, CEOs and leaders from NGOs and Indigenous people’s groups, and network with thousands of conservation and sustainable development professionals from around the world.
This ten-day event starts with the Forum, four days of the world’s largest marketplace of conservation ideas with over a thousand workshops and other sessions. The Forum informs the next five days, the Members’ Assembly. This is where IUCN’s 1300+ government and NGO Member organizations from over 160 countries vote on actions to address some of the world’s most pressing and often controversial conservation and sustainable development challenges.
This is the moment for all of us to come together and get it right.
Take PartCome, be part of the action and help define a sustainable world for wildlife, wild lands and our children’s future. Registration and more information here.
The upcoming International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s World Conservation Congress (#IUCNCongress) in September is our opportunity to share with other global citizens our amazing islands. WCC, long supported by the National Wildlife Federation and their Hawai‘i state affiliate Conservation Council of Hawai‘i, is also a chance to highlight the extraordinary host culture that nurtures these remarkable resources. People often talk about environmentalism in terms of stewardship, but for Native Hawaiians, the relationship is one of kinship.
We are literally the children of this land, kama‘āina. We call this land our “one hānau” the sands of our birth. Our origin stories or genealogy, mo‘okū‘auhau, link us to this place. To us, the Earth is Mother, Papahānaumoku – “Papa who gives birth to Islands”.
Our inspiration continues to grow from our environment. With an extraordinary cache of native language resources, Hawaiians enjoy a long history of knowledge transmission through a variety of practices that continues today. Scientific data lies thoroughly embedded in our expressions of cultural knowledge, whether in song, story, dance, or other forms.
This existing traditional ecological knowledge of Hawaiians developed from thousands of years of prosperous living on the islands free from outside influence. Extending far beyond cultural heritage, our knowledge includes complex understandings of evolutionary biology, watershed health, agricultural, aquaculture, and resource management that allowed over 1 million people to sustainably reside in Hawai‘i. This expertise will be integrated into the programming across the Congress. It is a model of sustainability that we continue to find ways to perpetuate – for our children’s sake and for our planet’s survival.
Hawai‘i, as an island, is a microcosm of the planet. We have seen our island communities struggle, realizing our resources are fraught with fragility and challenges. Yet, true island people understand the necessity of clinging together in times of greatest adversity.
We understand the need to protect critically endangered species, such as the Hawaiian monk seals, as Hawai‘i remains the site of some of the most diverse and threatened ecosystems on the planet. It is called the “endangered species capital of the world,” yet these tiny islands just passed the broadest wildlife trafficking ban in the nation.
You cannot imagine how painful it is to walk through a forest knowing the songs of beloved, native forest birds that once filled those very spaces are gone forever. It is the heaviest silence in the world. We are a small population that fights so hard to protect our beautiful home, because we know loss and we want to stop the loss from continuing.
We understand it is essential to find ways to transform fear into faith – to turn loss into love and hope. So we offer the planet our own experiences as it stands at the crossroads, and we hope the road ahead for all of us is enriched with the knowledge of the past as it forges its way into the future.
NWF encourages members, supporters and affiliates to consider how they can be part of this momentous opportunity and to support the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress.
Tell us what conservation topics you’d like to see discussed in the comments below!
“This is an exciting event that we are thrilled to be able to bring to the public,” said Executive Director and organizer of the festival Marjorie Ziegler of the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i. “This festival gives us a chance to learn more about the rich contribution of these birds to the story of Hawai‘i.”
Only on O‘ahu
Manu O Kū is one of the few remaining native birds to live and thrive in the city of Honolulu, and can be frequently seen by people going about their daily lives. Though common in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and across the Pacific, within the main Hawaiian Islands, they are found only on O‘ahu. With the exception of a few individuals and dedicated community members familiar with the bird, most of Honolulu’s residents remain unaware that these birds nest in the heart of the city as well as in their parks and backyards.
Manu O Kū have long been culturally important birds that are still used today in traditional Hawaiian navigation. For Hawaiian navigators, the Manu O Kū is an indicator of nearby land when out at sea. When nesting, Manu O Kū return to land daily to feed their young. When not nesting, they may travel for weeks over thousands of miles of open ocean. Though growing in numbers, Manu O Kū still face many threats, such as nonnative predators like rats, mongooses, and feral cats, human activities such as tree trimming and urban sprawl, and storms.
In 2007, the then-mayor, Mufi Hannemann, designated the Manu O Kū as the official bird of the City and County of Honolulu. “It’s a natural fit. Manu O Kū is a creature of the sea and the land” the mayor was quoted as saying at the time. “As a threatened species, it embodies the fragile nature of Hawaii’s unique environment, and we are pledged to protect both the ‘āina (land) and Manu O Kū for future generations.”
Migratory Bird Treaty Turns 100
The Manu O Kū is also being featured as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Migratory Bird Treaty Centennial being celebrated this year. The first treaty was signed between Great Britain (for Canada) and subsequent treaties followed with Japan, Russia, and Mexico. These treaties form the cornerstone of conservation efforts to conserve birds that migrate across international borders.
“This festival will be an opportunity to highlight the unique nature of this bird and to also bring attention to how everyone can support their growing numbers and conservation,” said Nanette Seto, Chief of Migratory Birds and Habitat Program with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Centennial celebrations in Honolulu and other participating cities across the country not only recognize the accomplishments of the last 100 years of bird conservation, but challenge us to build upon those successes on into the next century.”
It began in 2008 when thousands of people including national leaders and conservation practitioners from around the world gathered in Barcelona, Spain, to attend the IUCN’s World Conservation Congress (WWC). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), based in Switzerland, is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries.
We knew in our hearts that Hawai‘i could inspire the world through our amazing biodiversity, our vibrant indigenous Hawaiian culture and the commitment of the conservation community to work together to develop some of the most cutting edge biocultural conservation programs on earth. Hawai‘i has been called the endangered species capital of the world, and for good reason. Nearly all of our native wildlife, from monk seals to hoary bats to sea turtles to forest birds are currently listed as threatened or endangered.
In short, we knew that holding a WCC in Hawai‘i could be a game changer – it could be an important factor in moving our planet away from rapidly approaching the tipping point, and instead slowly move towards a turning point that will take us to sustainability. The stakes are high and our children’s children depend on us to make this change. Our planet’s biodiversity is our life support system and it is being degraded and destroyed at the rate that is unsustainable!
“Having been born and raised in Hawai‘i I have seen first-hand the increasing endangerment of our unique biodiversity and the renaissance of our native Hawaiian culture. Islands are evolutionary engines that generate biocultural diversity but they are sensitive ecological systems that are often the first places to feel the impacts of development, invasive species and climate change. Hawai‘i is a microcosm of the issues the IUCN is dealing with around the world and we have developed innovative and collaborative programs to deal with these issues. ”
In time, the dream spread and many passionate people began to add their voices and talents to our cause. While I was the elected leader for this effort, it took an army of dedicated people from the national conservation, environmental and foundation community to pull it off including help from the National Wildlife Federation and their Hawai‘i state affiliate Conservation Council of Hawai‘i.
After many unsuccessful appeals to the US Department of State, it appeared that we had exhausted our options. With the determined insistence of former NWF board member Steven Montgomery, and fast action by NWF to mobilize fellow national conservation organizations, a sign on letter was produced at the 11th hour that helped to push the State Department to finally support and sign off on our bid to host.
Then, on May 21, 2014, to our amazement, and the amazement of many around the world, the IUCN Council voted unanimously to award the 2016 World Conservation Congress to Hawai‘i!
As we count down to September 1-10, 2016 when the world will meet in Hawai‘i, I encourage all NWF members, supporters and affiliates to consider how they can be part of this once-in-a-lifetime historic opportunity.
If you are an NWF affiliate or partner organization, consider joining as an IUCN member and send a delegation to the Congress. Your participation and support will help to ensure that the 2016 World Conservation Congress leaves a legacy that will change the world.
Leave a comment of support below!
The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016 will be the first major international conservation event held in the United States in decades, and the decisions made there will have impacts that last for generations. National Wildlife Federation, as a founding member of IUCN back in 1948, has worked alongside the State of Hawai‘i , our state affiliate the Conservation Council of Hawaii, Hawaiian cultural leaders and leading national conservation organizations to help bring this important global gathering to the US for the first time.
September 1 marks one year before the IUCN World Conservation Congress and the beginning of a pivotal year for our world’s future. Later this month, the world will commit to deliver Sustainable Development Goals with a timeframe of 15 years – an ambitious agenda for improving human living conditions for all. In December, world leaders will meet in Paris to set the direction for combatting climate change. And one year from now, the Members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), over 1300 of the most influential nation states, government agencies, and national and international conservation organizations in the world, will convene at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to set the global conservation agenda for the next four very important years.
This blog post from IUCN Director General Inger Andersen speaks to the urgency and importance of conservation’s role in defining the path humanity will take and how far that path takes us toward a more vibrant and sustainable future. It is also the theme of the upcoming IUCN Congress.
Planet at the Crossroads
We live in a time of tremendous change, the nature and extent of which is the subject of intense debate and attention around the world. At the heart of this debate is the clash of immediate human needs with their long-term impacts on the planet’s capacity to support life.
With a timeframe of 15 years, all the nations of the world have committed to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals – an ambitious agenda for improving human living conditions for all. There is a real sense of urgency in this call to action, as many believe that current trends are not sustainable and that there is a closing window of opportunity to effect meaningful change in Humanity’s trajectory. Our future will be decided by the choices we make now.
Today we are some 7.3 billion people on Earth and the UN estimates that, under a medium growth scenario, we will be more than 8.4 billion by 2030. Over half the world’s population is already living in urban areas, increasingly disconnected from the complex systems of Nature and the biodiversity that keep us all alive. Shifting patterns of global wealth and economic growth over the past 15 years have led to important increases in economic wellbeing, lifting hundreds of millions of people from poverty.
But in addition to the type of progress we all applaud, such as poverty reduction and improved maternal health, other problems persist or grow steadily worse. The benefits of development are not shared equitably, the gap between rich and poor is widening, and economic growth is occurring at the expense of ecological integrity. We can expect more of this to happen over the next 15 years, and time is running out for us humans to find ways of progressing that safeguard and reinforce the natural world that sustains us.
One can take a pessimistic view — that it is already too late to avoid catastrophe, and therefore we must now focus on survival and recovery. This leaves people in despair. Or one can be optimistic — arguing that Humanity has faced and overcome many great challenges in the past and will continue to do so. This risks indifference and denial.
There is, however, an emerging viable third alternative – embracing the reality that change is coming, and this can either enhance resilience or result in greater instability and uncertainty. This alternative future has been described in various global declarations over recent years, including IUCN’s World Charter for Nature, Agenda 21 and The Earth Charter from the Earth Summit in Rio, and several U.N. General Assembly resolutions on Harmony with Nature. Collectively, they point to the need for profound transformations in our patterns of production and consumption, and recognition that every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
This alternative approach stresses that nature conservation and human progress are not mutually exclusive: economic, political and technological choices can promote and even enhance our planet’s natural assets.
To inform these choices, IUCN works around the world in three areas: valuing and conserving wildlife and all of Nature’s diversity, advancing effective and equitable governance of the use of Nature, and deploying Nature-based solutions to climate, food and development challenges. IUCN is demonstrating that Nature is not an obstacle to human aspirations, but rather an essential partner, offering valuable contributions towards all our endeavours.
But there is much to do: We need to bring these pieces together, with all of IUCN’s members and partners, to collectively complete the greatest puzzle ever attempted: to secure Nature’s support systems so that Humanity and the greater community of life may continue to prosper on Earth.
This is our collective challenge for the next 15 years, and this is the invitation that the 2016 IUCN Congress is offering to the world.
About the Author:
Ms. Inger Andersen is the Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and was appointed Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in January 2015.
Ms. Andersen brings a passion for conservation and sustainable development with more than 30 years of experience in international development economics, environmental sustainability and policy-making, as well as in designing and implementing projects and generating on-the-ground impact. She has played a key role in supporting riparian countries on international water management and hydro diplomacy.