Schatz Helps Secure U.S. Government's Support of Hawai‘i’s Bid to Host 2016 World Conservation Congress

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz commended the U.S. Department of State for their support to bring the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) conference to Hawai‘i in 2016. Following calls and letters from Senator Schatz urging their support, the State Department reversed its position and issued a letter to the leading international conservation organization supporting the State of Hawai‘i’s bid to host the World Conservation Congress (WCC) in 2016.

“Securing the State Department's support is a critical step forward in Hawai‘i‘s work to host the 2016 World Conservation Congress, and this has been a real team effort to get to this point,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. “Hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference here was a complete success. I can think of no better place than Hawai‘i to convene world leaders to work towards solving the most pressing global conservation and energy security challenges for a better future.  This event would also help reinforce Hawai‘i’s reputation as an ideal host location to high-level international forums.”

Schatz travelled to Jeju, South Korea to represent the State of Hawai‘i as Lieutenant Governor at the last IUCN Word Conservation Congress in 2012 and began the State of Hawai’i's bidding process for 2016. In February, Senator Schatz joined the Hawai‘i congressional delegation to urge the State Department to submit a letter of interest to the IUCN for Hawai‘i’s 2016 bid.  After the State Department responded with concerns about financial issues, Senator Schatz organized and led a bipartisan group of Senators to urge U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to reconsider.  He also called senior leaders at the State Department to press Hawai‘i’s case. As a host finalist, Senator Schatz worked in collaboration with Governor Abercrombie’s office to resolve the State Department's financial concerns and finally secure the U.S. Government's support for the State of Hawai‘i's bid.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world’s oldest and leading global environmental organization. It includes over 1,200 member organizations, over 200 government and 900 non-government organizations. If Hawai‘i wins the bid to host the global conference, it will be the first time the United States has been a host of the forum, since the organization’s creation in 1948. Hosting the event would result in major economic benefits for the state, bringing in nearly $50 million in visitor spending and tax revenue according to state estimates.

As Lieutenant Governor, Schatz helped lead preparations for the State of Hawai‘i’s to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference, which brought 20,000 government and business leaders from 21 Asia-Pacific economies to Honolulu in 2011 and $37.7 million for Waikiki hotels. The IUCN would be another example of Hawai‘i attracting important global forums and conferences attended by international leaders.

Schatz thanked Governor Abercrombie and his staff for their partnership in the effort to bring the global conference to Hawaii and recognized the determined work of:

• Chipper Wichman, Chair of the IUCN 2016 Steering Committee;
• Christopher Dunn, Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee;
• Steve Montgomery, Chair of the Steering Committee’s NGO Support working group;
• Mark McGuffie, June Matsumoto, and Randy Tanaka, Co-Chairs of the IUCN Bid working group;
• The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kamehameha Schools, Steering Committee members; and
• Dr. Tom Lovejoy, member of the Steering Committee.

Led by the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club, the heads of seven large conservation groups wrote the State Department in support of the Hawai‘i bid because  "to host the next World Conservation Congress in Honolulu during the centennial of the U.S. National Park Service would be a new landmark in resolving the global environmental issues President Obama has so clearly outlined."

###