HONOLULU (May 18, 2021)—The East-West Center (EWC) and Hawai‘i Green Growth Local2030 Hub (HGG) have signed a cooperative agreement to share facilities and collaborate on sustainable development and climate change programming. Under the terms of the agreement, EWC will provide office space and access to event venues for HGG staff, while programmatically the two organizations will look for ways to collaborate on initiatives, events, funding, partnerships, and more to advance the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a locally and culturally appropriate way in Hawai‘i and the Pacific, including through the innovative Local2030 Islands Network.

At the outset, the partnership will focus on four target areas:

• Strengthening long-term leadership on sustainable development and climate issues
• Scaling up public-private partnerships with diverse stakeholders to integrate sustainability and resilience priorities into policy and planning
• Measuring sustainable development and climate progress through locally and culturally informed indicators
• Implementing concrete education, training, and research initiatives that contribute to island resilience

“These goals fit well with programs already under way at both EWC and HGG,” said EWC President Richard R. Vuylsteke. “The Center is delighted to welcome HGG to our campus and ‘ohana. By working in proximity, both institutions will be able to explore new ways to synergize our activities, including joint fundraising, grant applications, and communications outreach.”

Celeste Connors, Executive Director of HGG, reflected, “Islands are on the frontline of climate change. Through this partnership, the EWC and HGG will increase the visibility of Hawai‘i and island economies as leaders in implementing globally relevant, innovative sustainability solutions.  Together we can create momentum needed to achieve the SDGs within this Decade of Action and chart a sustainable pathway for Island Earth.”

About the East-West Center:
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.

The Center is an independent, public, nonprofit organization with funding from the US government, and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments in the region. Its 21-acre campus adjacent to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa features research, residential, and international conference facilities. The Center’s Washington, DC, office conducts collaborative research, training, seminars, and outreach around the theme of conflict reduction in Asia.

The Center carries out its mission through cooperative study, training, and research programs:

• The Research Program conducts multidisciplinary research on issues of contemporary significance to Asia, the Pacific and the US.
• The Education Program provides graduate students with a wide range of study opportunities.
• The Professional Development Program provides short-term educational experiences for policymakers, journalists, educators, entrepreneurs and more.
• The Pacific Islands Development Program conducts a broad range of activities to assist in advancing equitable social and economic development in the Pacific, consistent with the goals of the region's people.
• Communications and External Relations offers a broad range of public information and events, including the Center' s Arts Program  and the Friends of the East-West Center community volunteer organization.

About Hawai‘i Green Growth Local2030 Hub
Hawai‘i Green Growth (HGG) is a public-private partnership and recognized United Nations Local2030 hub that brings together diverse stakeholders committed to economic, social and environmental priorities. Their work seeks to connect generations of indigenous knowledge and systems-thinking with modern science, technology, and policy to support scalable solutions that can be applied globally. As a Local2030 Hub, Hawai‘i Green Growth public-private partners are collaborating to advance:

• Political Leaderships on Hawai‘i’s statewide Aloha+ Challenge sustainability and climate goals
• Open-data impact Dashboard with agreed indicators
• Joint policy priorities, innovative financing, and resilient infrastructure solutions
• Educational pathways for the next generation of leaders
• Scalable island models to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement

HGG formed in response to the 2011 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Honolulu to identify green growth priorities and advance a green economy within an island context. In November 2018, the UN invited HGG to become one of the world’s first Local2030 sustainability hubs. This recognizes the collective achievements of the HGG public-private partnership through the Aloha+ Challenge, a local framework to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals.

HONOLULU (May 18, 2021)—The East-West Center (EWC) and Hawai‘i Green Growth Local2030 Hub (HGG) have signed a cooperative agreement to share facilities and collaborate on sustainable development and climate change programming. Under the terms of the agreement, EWC will provide office space and access to event venues for HGG staff, while programmatically the two organizations will look for ways to collaborate on initiatives, events, funding, partnerships, and more to advance the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a locally and culturally appropriate way in Hawai‘i and the Pacific, including through the innovative Local2030 Islands Network.

At the outset, the partnership will focus on four target areas:

• Strengthening long-term leadership on sustainable development and climate issues
• Scaling up public-private partnerships with diverse stakeholders to integrate sustainability and resilience priorities into policy and planning
• Measuring sustainable development and climate progress through locally and culturally informed indicators
• Implementing concrete education, training, and research initiatives that contribute to island resilience

“These goals fit well with programs already under way at both EWC and HGG,” said EWC President Richard R. Vuylsteke. “The Center is delighted to welcome HGG to our campus and ‘ohana. By working in proximity, both institutions will be able to explore new ways to synergize our activities, including joint fundraising, grant applications, and communications outreach.”

Celeste Connors, Executive Director of HGG, reflected, “Islands are on the frontline of climate change. Through this partnership, the EWC and HGG will increase the visibility of Hawai‘i and island economies as leaders in implementing globally relevant, innovative sustainability solutions.  Together we can create momentum needed to achieve the SDGs within this Decade of Action and chart a sustainable pathway for Island Earth.”

About the East-West Center:
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.

The Center is an independent, public, nonprofit organization with funding from the US government, and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments in the region. Its 21-acre campus adjacent to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa features research, residential, and international conference facilities. The Center’s Washington, DC, office conducts collaborative research, training, seminars, and outreach around the theme of conflict reduction in Asia.

The Center carries out its mission through cooperative study, training, and research programs:

• The Research Program conducts multidisciplinary research on issues of contemporary significance to Asia, the Pacific and the US.
• The Education Program provides graduate students with a wide range of study opportunities.
• The Professional Development Program provides short-term educational experiences for policymakers, journalists, educators, entrepreneurs and more.
• The Pacific Islands Development Program conducts a broad range of activities to assist in advancing equitable social and economic development in the Pacific, consistent with the goals of the region's people.
• Communications and External Relations offers a broad range of public information and events, including the Center' s Arts Program  and the Friends of the East-West Center community volunteer organization.

About Hawai‘i Green Growth Local2030 Hub
Hawai‘i Green Growth (HGG) is a public-private partnership and recognized United Nations Local2030 hub that brings together diverse stakeholders committed to economic, social and environmental priorities. Their work seeks to connect generations of indigenous knowledge and systems-thinking with modern science, technology, and policy to support scalable solutions that can be applied globally. As a Local2030 Hub, Hawai‘i Green Growth public-private partners are collaborating to advance:

• Political Leaderships on Hawai‘i’s statewide Aloha+ Challenge sustainability and climate goals
• Open-data impact Dashboard with agreed indicators
• Joint policy priorities, innovative financing, and resilient infrastructure solutions
• Educational pathways for the next generation of leaders
• Scalable island models to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement

HGG formed in response to the 2011 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Honolulu to identify green growth priorities and advance a green economy within an island context. In November 2018, the UN invited HGG to become one of the world’s first Local2030 sustainability hubs. This recognizes the collective achievements of the HGG public-private partnership through the Aloha+ Challenge, a local framework to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals.