News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30th, 2008
CONTACT: Jeff Mikulina 226-4987

Hawaii students draw line on climate change
Blue Line Project hopes to raise awareness of Hawaii’s vulnerability to climate change and need for immediate reductions in global greenhouse gas

HONOLULU – Today, Honolulu students are literally—and metaphorically—drawing a line on climate change. While leaders from sixteen countries representing the largest producers of greenhouse gas met blocks away, Hawai‘i students and residents chalked a line indicating the extent of flooding from a one meter sea level rise through Honolulu. Climate experts believe a one meter rise may occur before the close of this century—or sooner if the melting of Greenland and Antarctica ice continues to accelerate.

“The cost of inaction on climate change will be overwhelming for Hawai‘i,” said Jeff Mikulina, Director of the Sierra Club, Hawai‘i Chapter. “This line marks the amount of devastation that may occur in these students’ lifetimes from sea level rise alone should we fail to act on dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is time for a sea change in our response to global warming.”

Approximately 50 students and individuals took part in the event. Seven city blocks between Isenberg and McCully streets were chalked with a line, drawings, statements, and other art by the students (maps and images available at www.hi.sierraclub.org; extent of flooding, photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4).

On January 30 and 31, the Bush Administration is hosting “Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change” at the East-West Center in Honolulu. Many countries, including the European Union and Japan, are pushing the United States to agree to significant, short-term reductions in its economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions—reductions that the U.S. has been vigorously opposing, pushing for voluntary measures instead. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak in the next 10 to 15 years and be reduced below 50% of the 2000 levels before 2050 in order to stabilize their concentrations in the atmosphere. Developed countries as a group must reduce emissions 25% to 40 % below 1990 levels by 2020—standards that European countries now propose for themselves.

Earlier today, both the Hawai‘i House and Senate passed resolutions (H.R. 53 and S.R. 24) calling on the United States to commit to a binding international treaty that would result in a significant and rapid global reduction in greenhouse gas concentration.

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