Maui’s Pacific Biodiesel garners climate award | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News

Oct 17, 2024

The Maui News

HONOLULU–Climate Hawai’i, an initiative of the Hawai’i Executive Collaborative, recently announced the recipients of its inaugural Climate Leadership Awards.

The awards were given to two individuals, one nonprofit, and one business during a dinner event at Washington Place last week. The final awardees were selected from 21 nominees by a panel of five judges.

Maui’s Pacific Biodiesel received the Pacific Climate Business Climate Champion award for being a pioneer in renewable fuels for nearly 30 years. The company was honored for its leadership in producing biodiesel locally and helping to drive the biofuel industry nationally.

Co-founders Bob and Kelly King accepted the award and, according to a press release, said “it was humbling to be surrounded by the movers and shakers of climate action in Hawai’i at the awards event,” said Kelly King. “We share this honor with our staff and community who have supported us through three decades on our sustainability journey.”

Jeff Mikulina, executive director of Climate Hawai’i, said the awards recognize Hawai’i’s remarkably innovative climate leaders across all sectors.

“Climate Hawai’i works to connect, leverage, and amplify the efforts of these individuals and organizations throughout the islands. Our awards are intended to spotlight those who are making extraordinary strides in accelerating our clean energy and climate-resilient future,” Mikulina said.

Other award categories and recipients include:

Individual Climate Hero: Former Governor David Ige was recognized for his leadership in signing the measure that made Hawai’i the first state in the nation to set a 100% renewable electricity goal.

Innovative Climate Solution: The Nature Conservancy, Hawai’i and Palmyra, was recognized for developing the first U.S. parametric insurance policy for coral reef protection.

Nonprofit or Government Climate Advocate: Gwen Yamamoto Lau, Executive Director of the Hawai’i Green Infrastructure Authority, was honored for leading efforts to provide thousands of clean energy loans to lower-income residents of Hawai’i through Hawai’i’s Green Bank.

At the Climate Leadership Awards dinner on Oct. 9 at Washington Place, Climate Hawai’i Chair Chris Benjamin gave special recognition to the parties of the Navahine transportation climate lawsuit for their collaborative efforts to settle the case. The recognition included Isaac Moriwake (Earthjustice), Ed Sniffen (Hawai’i Department of Transportation), Gov. Josh Green, and the 14 youth plaintiffs.

The Maui NewsThe United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in the ...