Hawaiʻi Launches New Online Data Portal About Invasive Species – Honolulu Civil Beat

Report on Hawaiʻi’s New Biosecurity Platform and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

The state of Hawaiʻi has launched a new invasive species digital platform to enhance public monitoring of biosecurity threats. This initiative, mandated by state lawmakers, directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing environmental protection, public health, and institutional strength. The platform provides public-access dashboards, maps, and critical information on high-priority pests, fostering transparency and collaborative action in line with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Strategic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 15: Life on Land and SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The platform is a critical tool for protecting Hawaiʻi’s unique terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity from the severe threats posed by invasive alien species, a core target of SDG 15. By focusing on pests that devastate local flora and fauna, the initiative aims to halt biodiversity loss. Furthermore, these efforts safeguard the state’s agricultural sector, contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture as outlined in SDG 2.

• Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle: Threatens palm species, impacting both natural landscapes and agricultural resources.
• Little Fire Ant: Disrupts ecosystems and poses a danger to agricultural workers and livestock.
• Avian Influenza: Poses a significant risk to native bird populations and the poultry industry.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The management of invasive species is directly linked to public health and the creation of safe, resilient communities. The platform addresses species that pose direct health risks to residents and impact quality of life, thereby supporting SDG 3 and SDG 11.

• Little Fire Ants: Inflict painful stings on humans and can cause blindness in pets.
• Coqui Frogs: Create significant noise pollution, affecting community well-being.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

In response to legislative action (Act 236) and an investment of over $26 million, the Department of Agriculture has strengthened its institutional capacity. The new platform exemplifies this progress by promoting transparency and accountability. It is designed as a collaborative tool, encouraging information sharing between government agencies, academic researchers, and the public, which embodies the multi-stakeholder partnership approach of SDG 17.

Platform Implementation and Operational Details

Initial Focus and Key Features

The platform centralizes data and response efforts for four primary biosecurity concerns:

1. Coconut rhinoceros beetles
2. Little fire ants
3. Coqui frogs
4. Avian influenza

The website provides detailed dashboards illustrating the scope of infestations and the state’s mitigation activities. For example, current data shows that 593 trees have been treated for coconut rhinoceros beetles, mostly in Honolulu’s urban core. Similarly, nearly 75% of the state’s 8,770 surveys for little fire ants have been conducted in Waimānalo.

Future Development and Expansion

The platform is slated for significant enhancements to improve its effectiveness and user engagement.

1. Transition to a live data feed for real-time updates on mitigation work.
2. Incorporate data on other species of concern, including the brown tree snake, which poses a potential multi-billion dollar economic threat.
3. Develop a comprehensive backend database to support advanced research and problem-solving.
4. Enhance public-facing elements to be more interactive and educational.

Institutional Framework and Challenges

Legislative Enhancements

Recent legislation has granted the Department of Agriculture enhanced powers, including the ability to declare biosecurity emergencies. This authority is designed to overcome historical policy delays and enable rapid, decisive responses to new infestations, thereby strengthening the state’s institutional effectiveness in protecting its environmental and economic resources.

Human Resource Constraints

A significant challenge to achieving these biosecurity goals is the chronic staffing shortage within the agency. Officials report that offers to qualified candidates are frequently rejected due to non-competitive salaries that are insufficient for Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living. The department plans to request legislative approval for higher salary rates to attract and retain the skilled professionals necessary to fulfill its mandate and advance the state’s sustainability objectives.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The article’s central theme is the management of invasive species (coconut rhinoceros beetles, little fire ants, coqui frogs) that threaten the local environment in Hawaiʻi. This directly relates to protecting terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The invasive pests are identified as a threat to the “agricultural sector.” Specifically, coconut rhinoceros beetles and avian influenza pose direct risks to food sources and agricultural sustainability, which is a core component of SDG 2.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article explicitly states that the pests pose a “threat to residents’ health.” The mention of little fire ants that “sting humans” and the monitoring of avian influenza, a potential zoonotic disease, connect the biosecurity efforts to public health concerns.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article details government actions to build effective and transparent institutions. This includes passing new legislation (Act 236), allocating significant funding ($26 million), enhancing the regulatory powers of the Department of Agriculture, and creating a public dashboard to ensure accountability and allow the public to “keep an eye on what it’s doing.”

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The initiative is described as a “collaborative platform” designed for information sharing between “state officials and residents.” It also aims to foster “academic and citizen-led research” and define responsibilities among “state, county and nonprofit groups,” highlighting a multi-stakeholder approach.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species.
     
     Explanation: The entire initiative described in the article—creating a dashboard, funding mitigation programs, and enhancing regulatory powers—is a direct measure to control and reduce the impact of priority invasive species like coconut rhinoceros beetles, little fire ants, and coqui frogs.

2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems…
     
     Explanation: By combating pests that threaten the “agricultural sector,” Hawaiʻi is working to protect its food production systems and implement resilient practices to safeguard crops and livestock (e.g., from avian influenza) from biosecurity threats.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries… for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
     
     Explanation: The new platform serves as an early warning and public information tool. Monitoring pests that “sting humans” (little fire ants) and diseases like “avian influenza” is a direct effort to manage national health risks.

4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
     
     Explanation: The article states that lawmakers called for the dashboard so the “public can keep an eye on what it’s doing.” This public-facing platform, mandated by law (Act 236), is a clear step towards making the Department of Agriculture’s biosecurity efforts more transparent and accountable.
   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
     
     Explanation: The platform is designed to be collaborative, allowing residents to share information and “draw on information from the public for new detections.” This fosters a participatory approach to managing invasive species.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…
     
     Explanation: The article highlights that the platform is intended to be collaborative between “state officials and residents” and to foster “academic and citizen-led research.” The plan to create a formula for response that lays out the responsibilities of “state, county and nonprofit groups” further supports this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 15 (Life on Land)

   • Implied Indicator (related to 15.8.1): The article mentions the passing of “Act 236” and the allocation of “more than $26 million” as a legislative and financial commitment to controlling invasive species.
   • Mentioned Indicators: The article provides specific metrics from the biosecurity agency’s work that can be tracked over time:
     • Number of trees treated for pests (“treated 593 trees”).
     • Number of surveys conducted for a specific pest (“8,770 surveys done for the ants”).
     • Positivity rate from surveys (“About 8% of the samples came back positive for the ants”).

2. For SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Mentioned Indicator: The official launch of the public biosecurity dashboard (“was officially launched Monday”) serves as a direct indicator of the government’s action towards transparency.
   • Implied Indicator: The establishment of new institutional structures, such as the “biosecurity branch” and the onboarding of a “new deputy director for biosecurity,” as mandated by Act 236.

3. For SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

   • Implied Indicator: The future use of the platform by the public for reporting new detections and by academics for research, as the article states it is designed to “draw on information from the public” and “foster academic and citizen-led research.”

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: civilbeat.org