Posted on: Monday, April 30, 2001

Environment summit puts spotlight on us

While most public attention has been focused on the Asia Development Bank meeting in Honolulu next month, another big gathering here will soon capture the public eye.

It is the second Mayor's Asia-Pacific Environmental Summit, originated and hosted by Mayor Jeremy Harris.

The first meeting in 1998 brought together urban leaders and experts from around the Pacific Rim to discuss common environmental and planning issues. This weekend's meeting will bring together more than 400 delegates to discuss issues ranging from urban poverty and environmental degradation through sustainable tourism.

Honolulu is an ideal location for such meetings. In some cases, it can offer "been-there-done-that" hindsight that can help other cities avoid development problems we have had to struggle with. In other cases, we can talk about — and demonstrate — cutting-edge environmental and planning solutions that have helped us avoid some of the worst problems of urban growth.

Much of the meeting will consist of idea-sharing. But the officials gathered here will also develop a specific Mayor's Action Plan that will become part of the local government report to the United Nations Earth Summit 2002 on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) in Johannesburg next year.

Hawai'i has a bright opportunity to be a leader in advanced planning concepts and environmental technology for the rapidly urbanizing Asia-Pacific region. Gatherings such as the Mayor's Summit are the way we will convert that opportunity into reality.