From September 1 to 10, the people of the state of Hawai‘i
welcomed more than 10,000 people from around the world — delegates to the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation
Congress (WCC) — to Honolulu for
what is commonly referred to as “the Olympics of conservation and environment.”
The Congress, entitled “Planet at the Crossroads,” was held
for the first time in the United States, and making it even more special, the
location was Hawai‘i. With the WCC being held in Hawai‘i, members of the HPU
‘ohana along with the larger community of the state, had the amazing
opportunity to showcase the Hawaiian Islands and its leadership in
conservation.
An opening ceremony to kick off the WCC highlighted Hawaiian culture and practices. The chanters and dancers represented hālau from Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Māui and Hawai‘i. Director of Tax and
Financial Compliance Jory
Cummins, Kumu Hula of hālau Na Pualei o Likolehua, was a chanter in the opening (31:30 to 50:50; then 2:54:19) and closing (at 1:52:40) ceremonies of the WCC; (see Star-Advertiser story and gallery of
photos.) Cummins said “it was not only such an honor to participate with such
great cultural practitioners, but to be a part of something with such global
impact.”
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Jory Cummins, front row, third from left
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Representing Hawai‘i Pacific University, an affiliate member
of IUCN, Associate Professor of Environmental Science Regina
Ostergaard-Klem, Ph.D., worked with the WCC host committee to provide a
range of opportunities for HPU students, faculty, staff, and alumni,
representing colleges and departments from across the university, to participate
in the Congress. In turn, student and faculty volunteers received passes to
attend WCC sessions. Many students from Environmental Science and Studies
programs took advantage of the opportunity to learn about environmental efforts
at the national and international levels as well as network with local
organizations.
High level sessions included world-renowned speakers such as
Sylvia Earle, Jane Goodall and E.O. Wilson. WCC also included hundreds of
workshops and panel and roundtable discussions. Associate Professor of
Oceanography David
Hyrenbach, Ph.D., took part in one of the panels, entitled “Seabirds at the
Crossroads,” presenting his research on seabirds to track ocean pollution.
The activities were non-stop in the Exhibition Hall of the
Hawai‘i Convention Center, with a variety of themed pavillions that were free
and open to the public. In the Hawaii
and Pacific Pavillion, HPU hosted a booth and over several days, more than 35 university
faculty, staff and student volunteers provided delegates with information about
HPU and its sustainability-related programs and initiatives. Thomas Kohler, Ph.D., Associate Professor Marketing and founder
of the Hawai‘i nonprofit travel2change, shared the organization’s mission of “connecting
travelers with the local community to create a positive impact.”
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Associate Professor of Marketing Thomas Kohler, Ph.D.,
and Biology major Polly Miller, manning the HPU booth
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HPU students also volunteered directly with IUCN, serving in
various capacities to facilitate operation of the event. For Emily Macri, an
MA/GLSD student who volunteered as a quote capturer, “it was empowering to sit
in a crowd of individuals from all around the world who are really striving to
make a difference for our planet.” She also described her experience as a quote
capturer “like a big melting pot of knowledge in one room. The gathering of
such a diverse group of environmental leaders enabled me to see that it is now
100% possible to tackle these problems on a larger scale.”
Tim Fallis, Assistant Professor, Department of
Communications, and MA/COM program chair, also participated. Fallis and his
students worked in the press center and as quote capturers. Fallis said “all
the students were delighted to be there, and soak in what was being discussed
and what people are trying to do to protect the environment.” The most exciting
thing for him was “to see that there are so many really smart people who are
donating their time and money doing amazing things.”
Two MA in Global Leadership and Sustainable Development students,
Delphine Homerowski and Rachel Sherman, in their roles as interns for Susty Pacific,
collected data at the Congress to certify it as a Green event. They worked with
HPU alumnus Kristopher Wee (MA GLSD ’16), Sustainability Manager for Susty
Pacific.
Through HPU’s affiliate membership, Ostergaard-Klem was able
to sit in on the Members’ Assembly. The assembly included discussion focused on
the establishment of IUCN mandates and the election of the IUCN Council and
President. Klem said “to witness the negotiation process was an enlightening
and exciting experience.” The motions that are passed at WCC provide guidance
and direction to international negotiations for the next four years. “It was a
chance to see history being made on environmental policies like marine
protected areas, wildlife trafficking, and economic valuation of natural
resources,” she added.
Additionally, HPU had the opportunity to invite WCC delegate
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Vice President for Conservation Policy at
Conservational International, to campus. Rodriguez served as the guest speaker
of HPU’s September 7 Presidential
Lecture Series on Global Leadership and Sustainability, made possible
through a grant from Hawaiian Electric Industries. Rodriguez, who was
previously the Minister of Environment and Energy for the Republic of Costa
Rica, told the inspirational story of Costa Rica — once a poor, underdeveloped nation
— rising to become one of Central America’s strongest economies while maintaining
its natural resources.
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Dr. Sylvia Earle and MA in Global Leadership
and
Sustainable Development student Gabby Lout
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Overall,
hosting the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawai‘i was a success. The
shared knowledge and insights from international leaders made the event a
learning experience for all. The
presence of HPU was helpful in exposing the progressive work that is done at
the University in terms of sustainability. Hosting the WCC in Hawai’i was the
perfect place to spark awareness and spread knowledge of the delicate
ecosystems that surround us. Truly, bringing the IUCN WCC to O‘ahu provided a
solid framework for tackling environmental issues from an international level,
which is ultimately what our future depends on.
