Jack Kittinger, Research Professor, Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, has been recognized as a member of the Green Fee Advisory Council for the State of Hawai'i by the Office of Governor Josh Green. Kittinger was recognized on August 22, 2025.
The council will provide crucial guidance on how the newly enacted “Green Fee” funds are allocated to bolster Hawaiʻi’s environmental resilience and sustainable tourism. In May 2025, Hawai'i established the nation’s first-ever climate impact fee. The legislation is projected to generate approximately $100 million annually, directed toward environmental stewardship, hazard mitigation, infrastructure resilience and enhancing the visitor experience.
Says Kittinger: When Hawaiʻi passed Act 96 last year, creating the nation’s first statewide “green fee,” it was a historic breakthrough. It marked a commitment to building a sustainable funding stream to protect what sustains us and strengthen our resilience to climate change. With the creation of the Governor’s Green Fee Advisory Council, that promise now moves from vision to reality. I am humbled to be appointed by Governor Green to serve in this role, and we approach it with urgency and kuleana. The council will recommend how funds are invested across Hawaiʻi, while the Legislature will review and refine these recommendations through the state budget process—together ensuring resources reach the projects and communities with the greatest impact.