Oil company fined for massive methane leak that went on for months
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Friday, February 23, 2024 | |
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Welcome to The Independent's weekly round-up on the climate crisis, and the solutions to tackle it. Thanks for reading - LB | |
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People walk down Front Street on August 10, 2023 in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii (Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images) |
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Hawaii is considering a $25 (£20) climate tax for tourists, potentially joining a growing list of places that are taking into account the impacts of travel on mounting environmental strain.
The proposal was re-introduced before Hawaii's state legislature after a plan to charge tourists a $50 fee was dropped last spring.
The mood appears to have changed after the catastrophic wildfire on Maui last August which killed 101 people, and left thousands more homeless. The town of Lahaina, once capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was largely destroyed. Maui County officials have estimated wildfire recovery costs at around $600m over the next three years.
"This tragic event is a wake-up call for all Hawaii residents, businesses, and public agencies to significantly increase efforts to prevent climate crises and limit the damage when crises do occur," the proposal states.
Hawaii's economy is heavily dependent on tourism but it takes a significant toll on the island's natural resources, amid "significant pressure" from climate change.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced the proposal in January, saying the levy was far less than the resort fees or other taxes visitors already pay, and that it will generate more than $68m every year from visitors. The $25 flat fee would be applied when tourists arrive and check into a hotel or short-term rental.
"We would invest these funds in beach preservation, fire breaks, and other prevention measures to help us avoid tragedies like the one last year in Maui. I believe this is not too much to ask of visitors to our islands," the governor added.
The climate crisis is causing parts of Hawaii to become drier, and rainfall is now more erratic than in the past. "Parts of the island got so dry during the past two years that the county limited residential water use," as Carolyn Kormann wrote in her lengthy feature on the Maui fires in The New Yorker last year. "Hotels did not face restrictions."
If Hawaii adopts the proposal, it will join a growing list of places to introduce a levy to help fund climate and environmental adaptation measures and recovery plans.
Last month, Greece introduced a "climate crisis resilience fee" to help cope with increasing disasters, like the dozens of wildfires the country suffered last year. The fee is on a sliding scale, depending on the time of year and how many stars are designated to the resort.
Similarly, Iceland, which has seen a bump in visitors in recent years, is set to introduce a tourist tax to alleviate the impacts on wildlife and environment. The tax was introduced in January and ranges between $2-$8, depending on the accommodation.
Bali began charging foreign tourists a fee of 150,000 rupiah ($9.60) to enter the Indonesian tourist hotspot earlier this month. "Your support will protect the nature of Bali," an online payment portal states.
Bhutan charges $100 per night in a "Sustainable Development Fee" which goes to off-setting the carbon generated by visitors. The tiny nation in the Himalayas is the first country to be officially recognized as carbon negative.
More climate news this week from The Independent:
A private oil company was fined just $780,000 after causing one of the worst methane leaks in history
Hot seawater killed most of cultivated coral in Florida Keys in setback for restoration effort
Scientists discover ideal temperature for all life on Earth
Just Stop Oil activist guilty of causing nuisance after climbing M25 gantry
Green energy industrialist 'seriously defamed' by Daily Mail article, High Court told
On 27 February, The Independent will be moderating the launch of the 10th annual Forest 500 report from the environmental not-for-profit, Global Canopy. Over the last 10 years, Forest 500 has gathered 1.3 million data points on the most influential companies and financial institutions driving tropical deforestation. The 350 companies and 150 financial institutions are assessed on the strength and implementation of their publicly available deforestation, ecosystem conversion and human rights commitments and policies. Next week, Global Canopy will publish 10 lessons from those 10 years of data. The webinar will take place from 14:00-14:45 GMT (09:00-09:45 EST) on Tuesday. Register here
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I didn't get into the climate issue because I love the trees — I tolerate the trees. I got into the issue because I learned the coal industry was paying a handful of scientists under the table to say nothing was happening to the climate. |
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