Inaugural In-Person Convening of the Local2030 Islands Network's Communities of Practice (April 2023)
The Local2030 Islands Network convened 115 islanders from 33 island economies across the Pacific, Caribbean, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans its inaugural in-person convening of the Data for Climate Resilience Community of Practice and Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism Community of Practice, hosted in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Pacific Risk Management ‘Ohana (PRiMO), on April 2-6, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. These Communities of Practice, launched in 2022 and borne out of island priority topics discussed in the Local2030 Islands Network Virtual COVID-19 Platform, have held a series of virtual meetings. This in-person gathering marks the first annual convening of technical experts, practitioners, and government leaders from national and subnational islands across the globe. The Communities of Practice gatherings provided space for island leaders, practitioners, and technical experts to share best practices and lessons learned, receive technical training, collaborate, and exchange knowledge and unique island experiences in a collaborative, peer-to-peer forum, while also engaging with these thematic focus areas with place-based learning, featuring four of Hawai‘i’s exemplary leaders in sustainability. A brief summary of each session can be found below.
Sunday, April 2, 2023
Genki Ala Wai Project (Pre-Conference Site Visit) Led by: Hiromichi Nago (Technical Advisor, Genki Ala Wai Project)
The Local2030 Islands Network in-person Communities of Practice meetings in Honolulu kicked off with a pre-conference site tour on April 2nd to introduce participants to Honolulu, showcasing the Genki Ala Wai Project, an innovative approach using Effective Microorganisms® to help address a serious pollution problem in the Ala Wai Canal, an urban waterway of Waikīkī in Honolulu. The canal was built in the 1920s to drain the traditional taro wetland agriculture and extensive coastal wetlands and fishponds of the ahupuaʻa for development of hotels and the tourism industry. The Canal became the last stop for the Makiki, Mānoa and Palolo valley rivers before draining into Waikīkī Beach, and in present-day carries significant flood risk, and a source of pollution for nearby marine habitats. The Genki Ala Wai Project, a non-profit account of the Hawai‘i Exemplary State Foundation, uses beneficial microorganisms, or Genki Balls, to digest and oxygenate toxic sludge in the canal, providing a real-time bioremediation solution to a challenging water quality and urban pollution problem. Since the start of the project, monitoring has shown noticeable improvements in water quality parameters supported by recent sightings of the endangered monk seal and other reef fishes swimming in the canal. The tour included a moving introduction by Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner, Kumu Pualeilani Kamahoahoa, followed by Hiromichi Nago, Technical Advisor to the Genki Ala Wai Project, leading the group in throwing Genki Balls into the canal and providing an informational session on the technology and project results.
Welcome | Local2030 Islands Network Overview Speakers: Kate Brown, Celeste Connors – Co-Chairs, Local2030 Islands Network
This opening session by Local2030 Islands Network co-chairs, Celeste Connors (CEO of Hawai‘i Green Growth) and Kate Brown (Executive Director of the Global Island Partnership – GLISPA), introduced the Local2030 Islands Network, sharing the history and vision of the Network, as well as four key pillars that the Network champions for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through locally and culturally informed frameworks; political leadership and locally defined goals, measurement of such goals, public-private partnerships, and concrete action. Inspired by island peer-to-peer Networks and responding to the call for local solutions, action, and implementation for Agenda 2030 and the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway. The session also outlined that the Network serves as a peer-to-peer forum of exchange and technical capacity building on climate action and sustainable development through the Network’s three Communities of Practice on Data for Climate Resilience, Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism, and Renewable and Clean Energy, all emerging from island-driven conversations on the Network’s 2020 Virtual COVID-19 Platform. While this is the Network’s first in-person convening of two of its Communities of Practice, all have met virtually, growing in audience and reach across the globe.
In addition to the Communities of Practice, the Network also convenes island leaders on the margins of international high-level events, such as the UN High Level Political Forum, UN General Assembly, and the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (i.e., COP26 and COP27). These Leaders’ Meetings gather island heads of state and dignitaries in a peer-to-peer forum to discuss shared priorities, areas for action, identification of technical needs and potential resources, and joint opportunities for collaboration and acceleration of shared interest.
Resource: Local2030 Islands Network Slide Deck
Vital Elements of Vibrant Communities of Practice Speakers: Ron Benioff (National Renewable Energy Laboratory – NREL), Lauren Wenzel (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – NOAA)
This fireside chat session, moderated by Local2030 Islands Network co-chair Kate Brown, invited representatives from Local2030 Islands Network technical partners, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to discuss the vital elements that make technical Communities of Practice both vibrant and impactful, such as capacity building and knowledge exchange, sharing of examples of successful CoP models from NREL and NOAA experience.
The session explored that in order to drive change, we need to bring diverse groups together to:
Learn from each other;
Challenge each other; and
Share resources.
Critical Elements of a Vibrant Community of Practice:
Developing a Group Vision;
Peer Exchange;
Technical Assistance and Advisory Support;
Capacity Building, Workforce Development;
Mobilise Additional Resources;
Champions who combine forces to make progress.
Community Story Sharing: Storytelling for Knowledge Exchange Speakers: Ilihia Gionson and Daniel K. Naho'opi'i, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Supported by Graphic Recorder Cynthia Derosier (Good Juju Co.)
Storytelling is an important cultural and historical means of communication and knowledge sharing in Hawai‘i and many other island contexts. To open the Communities of Practice sessions and welcome participants to Hawai‘i, we were joined by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority representatives T. Ilihia Gionson and Daniel K. Nāho'opi'i, who offered an overview of Hawaiian mythological and genealogical origins, as well as how it relates to the two thematic areas of the Communities of Practice on Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism and Data for Climate Resilience.
Post presentation, the Communities of Practice were divided into their two separate rooms for a storytelling exercise in small groups, sharing bright spots and areas of action and progress, later engaging in a visioning exercise on enablers of how to scale their bright spots to other islands if resources/capacity were infinite.
Resource: Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Presentation, Data CoP Graphic Recording, Tourism CoP Graphic Recording
Washington Place Welcome Reception Speakers: Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green, U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai’i First Congressional Delegation), Local2030 Islands Network Co-Chairs Kate Brown and Celeste Connors
The Local2030 Islands Network was delighted that Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green hosted an official welcome reception for CoP participants, Hawai‘i -based partners, and Hawai‘i’s local and state leadership at Washington Place, the former home to Hawai’i’s territorial and statehood governors, designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2007. This home is best known as the private residence of beloved Queen Liliʻuokalani, Hawai’i’s last reigning monarch, where she resided until her death in 1917.
Governor Green welcomed island participants to the Hawaiian Islands, noting that Hawai’i was inspired by inspired by the Micronesia Challenge, Caribbean Challenge Initiative, and other regional commitments to launch the Aloha+ Challenge and l Hawai’i Green Growth, a Local2030 Hub and later, which serves as co-secretariat to the Lcoal2030 Islands Network alongside the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA). Governor Green also officially announced Hawai‘i’s second Voluntary Local Review (VLR) to be presented to the United Nations later this year, noting the role that the Dashboard plays in this effort, a tool available to all Local2030 Islands Network members seeking to display progress on their island’s local goals for sustainable development. Co-chairs Kate Brown and Celeste Connors highlighted the significance of the first in-person meeting of the Communities of Practice that were born from the Network’s response to island-driven calls for support on the COVID-19 Virtual Platform in 2020. The event also welcomed the presence of H.E. President David Panuelo of the Federated States of Micronesia and Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio of Guam.
Monday, April 3
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Presenters: Jim Potemra and John Marra, NOAA
This session discussed the multiplicity of data for climate resilience as well as the landscape of data sources from local, national, regional to international levels. Linkages with climate sectors will be addressed as well as indicators and metrics as a way to measure progress towards the SDGs. The group breakout put SDGs 3.3 (Fight Communicable Diseases), 9.1 (Develop Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Infrastructures) and 14.7 (Increased benefits from sustainable use of marine resources) to identify a set of Indicators and corresponding data needed for measurement. Participants identified that islands experience a unique challenge in data collection capacity, as well as the small-scale nature of island industries (i.e., fisheries data) that are difficult to capture metrics on. Participants also noted that measuring uncertainty is becoming increasingly important in their efforts.
Presentation Resources: Found here
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Speakers: Kaimana Bingham (Local2030 Islands Network/ Hawai‘i Green Growth) and Austin Shelton (Guam Green Growth)
The Local2030 Islands Network offers SDG and Localized Goal Monitoring Dashboards using ESRI software to its members to define and track national and subnational progress on locally determined goals and the SDGs, modelled after Hawai‘i Green Growth’s Aloha+ Dashboard. Dashboards serve as accountability and transparency mechanisms tied to political commitments and local context and offer opportunities for multi sector collaboration (i.e., education, science, data, community outreach). The two demonstrations from Hawai‘i and Guam gave two examples of how to scale the software to two different contexts, each with its own local priorities and goals.
Presentation Resources: Found here
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Presenters: Robbie Greene; Chelsey Bryson; Brad Romine; Chris Hobbs; Angela Burnett
This session presents a variety of technical tools and case studies for climate resilience building as well as linkages to data needs from CoP participants based in Hawai‘i, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and the British Virgin Islands on a variety of interventions, tools, applications, and projects related to sea level rise, health data, and disaster impact measurement (i.e., Act to Adapt app).
Presentation Resources: Found here
Link to Jamboard
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In this initial priority setting session, participants engaged in a roundtable exercise answering the following six questions:
• Areas/topics where you’d like to receive technical assistance
• Where gaps in knowledge exist/what you’d like to learn but are unsure of next steps
• What you wish to learn from other islands/islanders
• Where do you know of technical expertise/funding /resources to support this work etc. existing? What connections are you seeking?
• Where do bright spots exists (even if they’re not in the room!);
• What/who is missing from these conversations?
Inputs from this interactive session were synthesized and clustered by the Secretariat team and presented back to participants in a Part II priority setting exercise on Thursday, April 6.
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Speakers: Dianne Dredge (The Tourism CoLab), Pauline Sheldon (University of Hawai‘i)
This opening session focused on planning for sustainable tourism through community-oriented, nature-based solutions approaches and developing capacity to incorporate island-led, community-based solutions into sustainable tourism planning. The conversation was informed with a three dimensions ‘loop thinking’ model, examining the combinations of regenerative: travel, management, and mindsets/systems, noting that regenerative tourism is a journey of systems transformation, rather than a short-term project or plan that is easily measured and monitored. In line with this, participants discussed the shift (both in the terminology we use and in practice) from sustainable to regenerative models.
The speakers offered ‘10 pillars of everyday practice’ that take an asset-based approach to community-led tourism models.
Presentation Resources: Found here
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Speakers: Lauren Wenzel (NOAA) and Gabrielle Johnson (NOAA); Nildamarie Diaz (Puerto Rico) and Frecia Cevallos (Hawai‘i)
This presentation of case studies on tourism as a change agent fostered an understanding on why and how change in the tourism industry happens and where the opportunities for positive transformation exist – at the intersection of: collaboration, flexibility, systems thinking, courage, communication, persistence, leadership, and creativity. The participant-led case studies from Puerto Rico (Nildamarie Diaz) and Hawai‘i (Frecia Cevallos) offered a a framework for the planning, execution and evaluation of tourism projects and programs that connects to project goals and development objectives.
Presentation resources: Found here
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Presenters: Speakers: Lauren Wenzel (NOAA) and Gabrielle Johnson (NOAA)
This session, facilitated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) technical partners, functioned as a collaborative working session on implementing tourism strategies for projects and initiatives in home contexts. Two examples, including at a storytelling project in St. Lucia, and community engagement in project the British Virgin Islands, were highlighted in the session.
Presentation Resources: Found here
Link to Jamboard
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In this initial priority setting session, participants engaged in a roundtable exercise answering the following six questions:
• Areas/topics where you’d like to receive technical assistance
• Where gaps in knowledge exist/what you’d like to learn but are unsure of next steps
• What you wish to learn from other islands/islanders
• Where do you know of technical expertise/funding /resources to support this work etc. existing? What connections are you seeking?
• Where do bright spots exists (even if they’re not in the room!);
• • What should this CoP be called (i.e. sustainable vs. regenerative tourism)?
Inputs from this interactive session were synthesized and clustered by the Secretariat team and presented back to participants in a Part II priority setting exercise on Thursday, April 6.
Tuesday, April 4
Island Café: Cross-Community of Practice Exchange: Tourism for Climate Resilience/ Data for Sustainable Tourism Facilitator: Cynthia Derosier (graphic recorder) and Good Juju Co. staff
The Island Café inspired cross-CoP dialogue as questions prompted critical reflection from participants on how tourism can strengthen climate resilience and how climate data can inform and build better tourism strategies. Participants were invited to move around tables and reflect on a series of questions, including:
New learnings and discoveries from the first few days of sessions;
Resources and support needed to for existing needs or newly inspired projects; and
The big-aha’s, insights, and new ideas emerging and inspiring participants throughout the week.
Resources: Images from Table Breakouts
Local2030 Islands Network x PRiMO Panel: Local Leaders Delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals Speakers: Guam Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio, County of Hawai'i Mayor Mitch Roth, County of Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, Mayor of Kaua'i Derek Kawakami (video message). Moderated by Celeste Connors (Co-Chair, Local2030 Islands Network and CEO, Hawai‘i Green Growth)
This panel, organized by the Local2030 Islands Network and Hawai‘i Green Growth UN Local2030 Hub in partnership with the PRiMO Confernce, featured highlight local leadership in advancing sustainability and climate action, including through the statewide Aloha+ Challenge and Hawaiʻi’s second statewide Voluntary Local Review (VLR). The distinguished panelists discussed the actions of their respective administrations in supporting sustainable development, specifically regenerative and sustainable tourism and data driven decision making to build climate resilience. The panel was joined by a cohort of 12 young students from Kamehameha Schools.
Wednesday, April 5
BISHOP MUSEUM SITE VISIT
The Data CoP group traveled to the Bishop Museum, the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognized throughout the world for its cultural collections, research projects, consulting services and public educational programs.
Participants learned about Polynesian wayfinding and observed collections of artifacts and specimens pertaining to Hawaiʻi’s rich culture, heritage, climate, and natural biodiversity. In addition, participants learned about the origins and migrations of Pacific peoples throughout Oceania and the South Pacific. Moreover, group members had the opportunity to learn about volcanology and oceanography in Hawaiʻi and how the islands were formed from volcanic activity millions of years ago.
The site visit also included a presentation on the Museum’s sustainability data and dashboards, noting their alignment to state and international frameworks, as well as the challenges and opportunities experienced by the Museum in capturing and presenting this data. The presentation highlighted two examples of measuring data for climate resilience: one on weather station data management, and another one on Electric Vehicle charging stations.
Local2030 Islands Network x PRiMO Panel: Local-Global Approaches for Equitable and Resilient Island Futures Panel Speakers: Guam Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio; Trigg Talley, U.S. Department of State; Chloe Yano (Palau – Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism CoP Participant); Titus Antoine (Grenada – Data for Climate Resilience CoP Participant). Moderated by: Jabal Hassanali (Global Island Partnership)
This panel discussion took place in two parts. Our opening panel discussants provided a broad high level overview of the Local2030 Islands Network and discuss the goals and vision of the Network from their unique vantage points. Lt. Governor of Guam, the Hon. Josh Tenorio, spoke on Guam’s experience as a founding member of the Network and the spotlight it has given to Guam on the international stage in highlighting the progress they have made in achieving the SDGs. Trigg Talley of the US State Dept. noted that the unique peer-to-peer format and approach of the Network appealed greatly to the US as funders in the Network, and provided a golden opportunity for them to deliver on some of their climate commitments in a tangible way that was meaningful to islands on the front lines. Co-Chair of the Local2030IN Secretariat, Kate Brown, spoke on how grateful she was for islands to have a space to be islands together and not arbitrarily divided into categorizations that are largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of the shared challenges they face together. Local2030IN allows for the breaking down of these barriers and provides opportunities for islands to forge new connections and share tailor made solutions.
In the second part of the discussion, the opening panelists were joined by two representatives from our ongoing Communities of Practice; Ms Chloe Yano of Palau (Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism CoP) and Mr. Titus Antoine of Grenada (Data for Climate Resilience CoP). Together, they spoke on their experiences engaging within the CoPs to date, and reflected on the value add of these meetings from both a personal and national perspective and how its potential can be maximized.
Mr. Antoine revealed how inspiring it was for him personally experiencing Hawai‘i’s cultural reawakening first hand. It is not enough that our indigenous history be rediscovered and recorded, but that these cultural values be re-embedded into everyday life, and he intends to bring this lesson back to his country. Ms Yano in turn outlined a number of ideas the CoP could consider going forward to capitalize on the momentum created by these in-person meetings. One such suggestion that was received with great fanfare from the audience in attendance was the idea of Local2030IN facilitating Exchange Programs among islands to transplant some of the best practices that were being shared by participants in sessions.
Concurrent PRiMO sessions were offered in the afternoon that participants were warmly encouraged to attend. For a readout on PRiMO offerings, please consult the 2023 PRiMO Agenda.
Thursday, April 6
KUALOA RANCH SITE VISIT
The Sustainable Tourism Community of Practice Tour at Kualoa Ranch was a unique and educational event that brought together visitors from 40 different island economies to explore the practices and principles of sustainable tourism. Hosted by Kualoa Ranch, a 4,000-acre nature reserve on the island of Oahu, the tour showcased the ranch's innovative approach to conservation, cultural preservation, and sustainable tourism
During the tour, conference participants had the opportunity to meet with local experts and practitioners in sustainable tourism and learn about the challenges and opportunities facing island economies. They explored the ranch's diverse ecosystems, from its lush rainforests to its pristine beaches, and heard firsthand from Kualoa Ranch staff about their efforts to protect and preserve the land.
Throughout the tour, visitors engaged in lively discussions and workshops focused on sustainable tourism practices, from reducing carbon footprints and promoting local food and culture to engaging with local communities and promoting conservation efforts. By the end of the tour, participants had gained valuable insights and practical tools for promoting sustainable tourism in their own communities and had formed valuable connections with other like-minded practitioners from across the world.
Community of Practice Priority Setting Session Part II + Wrap-Up Facilitated by: Local2030 Islands Network Secretariat Staff
Building on the first Priority Setting session on Monday, Secretariat staff synthesized contributions across 6 questions and condensed them into three questions for prioritization by participants, including:
Top 2 areas/topics where you’d like to receive technical assistance, training, and more information;
Top 2 categories that you wish to learn from other islands/islanders;
Top 2 areas that you think will be most important for your island to focus on for the future.
Over the course of the next few weeks, the Secretariat Staff will turn these priority areas into an actionable Roadmap for where the two Communities of Practice will go in the coming months and years ahead. Stay tuned for outcomes of this exercise!
Official Closing & Site Visit to Heʻeia Fishpond Hosted by: Paepae o Heʻeia
Community of Practice (CoP) participants visited He'eia fishpond, a traditional 600 year old Hawaiian fishpond located in Kāne'ohe Bay on the island of Oahu. Hawaiian fishponds, also known as loko i'a, are traditional aquaculture systems that were built by Native Hawaiians for the purpose of sustainably harvesting fish. Fishponds were an important part of the traditional Hawaiian economy, providing a reliable source of fish for both local consumption and trade. They were also used for cultural and spiritual purposes and were an integrated and sustainable part of the ahupua'a, a traditional Hawaiian land division system that encompassed everything from the mountains to the sea. Today, efforts are being made to restore and maintain these important cultural and ecological resources.
During a visit to He'eia fishpond, the group learned about the history and cultural significance of the fishpond, as well as the traditional Hawaiian practices used to maintain it. As a service activity, participants helped to remove invasive mangrove seedlings.
For participants from island communities all over the world, the visit to He'eia fishpond was an opportunity to learn about this unique aspect of Hawaiian culture, the interconnections between humans and the environment, the importance of sustainable fishing and ecosystem management practices and the value of community-based efforts and collaborative problem-solving. The visit sparked conversations about the importance of integrating traditional practices into sustainable and resilient approaches to land use and natural resource management in the face of a changing climate.