Governor Green has been named to the 2025 TIME100 Climate list, recognizing the 100 most influential leaders in the world driving climate action, innovation and resilience.
TIME selected Governor Green for his leadership in transforming Hawaiʻi into a global model for sustainability, including the enactment of the nation’s first Climate Impact Fee on visitors — generating an estimated $100 million annually for environmental restoration and climate adaptation projects statewide.
In addition to the Climate Impact Fee, the state is transitioning away from imported fuel oil, modernizing its energy grid and investing in local renewable energy production to reduce emissions, stabilize energy costs and ensure long-term resilience.
Following the 2023 Maui wildfires, the state has also implemented landmark wildfire prevention and disaster resilience measures — including the reestablishment of Hawaiʻi’s statewide Fire Marshal — the first in nearly 46 years, aggressive fuels management, improved emergency warning systems and investments in community-based resilience planning — to protect lives, infrastructure and natural resources in the face of increasing climate threats.
Photo credit: Office of Governor Josh Green
