To protect its natural environment, the state of Hawaii is planning to charge visitors a $25 Hawaii climate fee.
Known for its beautiful beaches, rich native culture, and perfect surfing waves, Hawaii attracts millions of tourists every year. While Hawaii depends on its tourism industry to help sustain its economy, it wasn’t prepared for tourism’s impact on the environment in 2021.
In the summer of 2021, travel restrictions were still in place for traveling abroad, making Hawaii an attractive destination for people living in the United States. In 2021, Hawaii saw 6 million travelers.
The surge in tourist numbers flocking to Hawaii has significantly strained the delicate ecosystems of the islands. The burgeoning crowds at renowned natural sites, including beaches, hiking trails, and marine reserves, have precipitated detrimental effects. Among these impacts are accelerated coastline erosion, deterioration of coral reefs due to frequent visitation, and disruption of vital wildlife habitats.
In addition to the ecological ramifications, the surge in tourist activity across Hawaii has shone a light on the cracks in its infrastructure, profoundly impacting the daily lives of residents and visitors alike. The intensified influx of tourists has compounded existing issues, notably traffic congestion, to unprecedented levels. Roads and thoroughfares, once rural and quiet, are now busy with traffic, resulting in prolonged travel times and frayed nerves for commuters and tourists alike.
The strain on parking facilities has reached critical levels as overwhelmed lots struggle to accommodate the sheer volume of vehicles seeking spaces. In tourist areas, visitors circle endlessly, searching for available parking spots, contributing to further congestion and frustration. This parking predicament inconveniences both locals and travelers and disrupts traffic flow, compounding the overall transportation dilemma.
Additionally, the surge in tourist numbers has placed undue pressure on waste management systems ill-equipped to handle the exponential increase in refuse generated by visitors. Garbage bins overflow with discarded items, littering public spaces and detracting from the islands’ natural beauty. This strain on waste disposal infrastructure compromises the aesthetics of Hawaii’s pristine landscapes and poses environmental hazards, threatening the delicate balance of its ecosystems.
Residents have also had to deal with a water shortage and resulting water restrictions where they would be fined for “non-essential” water-related activities. There was an outcry from the residents, who practically begged tourists to stop coming to the island in huge numbers as their water consumption was unregulated.
To restore the island to its former environmental state, Hawaii plans to impose its Hawaii climate fee of $25 on all visitors. The fee is intended to make visitors more accountable for preserving natural resources and conscious of climate change effects without imposing impossible additional taxes on the state’s residents.
The funds generated (estimated at approximately $68 million per annum) would be used to prevent wildfires and floods, restore coral reefs, build green infrastructure, manage land, and provide emergency supplies.
In 2023, Hawaii proposed a $50 green fee scheme, but it didn’t pass. The measure would have required tourists to pay for a yearlong license or pass to visit state parks and trails.
The new Hawaii climate fee is working its way through Hawaii’s legislature, and we will have to wait and see if it passes. However, Hawaii is not the first tourism destination to impose a climate fee to help protect its environment from over-tourism. In 2019, New Zealand started charging international tourists a fee to help pay for conservation projects and infrastructure.
Greece recently implemented a new climate crisis resilience fee, similar to the proposed Hawaii climate fee. This fee helps to account for the natural disasters they’ve seen over the years, including deadly flooding and massive heatwaves. The fee amount depends on the accommodation, quality, and time of year.
Climate fees like the Hawaii climate fee and other taxes could have mixed reactions from the people charged, as they may choose to avoid specific destinations. However, with more destinations adding these fees, they may become the norm to protect their local environments.
The $25 Hawaii climate fee isn’t astronomical – people pay more to bring a suitcase on the plane. If people are made aware of what these fees are going towards, they would be more inclined to pay them. Especially if it means that the destination they are visiting is in good condition and not environmentally degraded.
If the bill passes, the Hawaii climate fee may serve as an example for other states that may be experiencing adverse environmental effects from over-tourism. We might see more environmental efforts being implemented at popular tourism destinations.
