Energy justice in the news

Local:

Hu Honua Lobbyist Hosted Fundraiser for Bill

It was a posh affair. The venue: Hokua, the tony high rise of multimillion-dollar condos with expansive views of Ala Moana Beach and Magic Island. The entertainment: Amy Hānaialiʻi, a six-time Grammy nominee and one of Hawaiʻi’s premier singers. The suggested donation for admission: $500, $1,000 or $2,000.

Officially – and as far as the public could tell from official disclosures  – the sunset soiree was paid for by the candidate committees of four Hawaiʻi state senators: Donovan Dela Cruz, Glenn Wakai, Michelle Kidani and Bennette Misalucha.

But undisclosed in public filings required for such political fundraisers was a behind-the-scenes host: Joanne Hamm, an energy industry lobbyist and Hokua resident also known as Nonie Toledo. (It’s a combination of a nickname and her maiden name, and she generally goes by that name although she’s registered with the state as Joanne Hamm.) Read more. 

National: 

Building a Resilient Indigenous Future with Sustainable Energy

​​Throughout Indigenous communities there is an abundance of renewable energy potential. Wind power alone has the potential to produce 190,000 megawatts of electricity, and solar energy potential is twenty times this amount! This wealth is an opportunity to step into a future that stands in stark contrast to the history of energy development within Indigenous nations.

Meanwhile, the fossil fuel and nuclear based energy industry has had and continues to have a devastating impact on our communities, notoriously contaminating the land, air, and water, creating conditions ripe for labor abuse, trafficking, and increased violence. These industries also lie at the root of internal conflict, with companies promoting the idea that this type of development is the only way out of poverty. Continue reading.