HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - As part of a historic out-of-court settlement, the state has agreed to have a judge oversee its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The lawsuit, Navahine v. the Hawaii Department of Transportation, was filed by 13 Hawaii keiki — ranging from pre-teens to teens — who say their future is at stake.

They alleged that the establishment, operation and maintenance of Hawaii’s state transportation system violated their constitutional rights to a clean and healthy environment.

Two years after the lawsuit was filed back in 2022, a settlement has now been reached, with a big pledge to create a solid and strategic plan for the state’s transportation system to achieve net-negative emissions by 2045.

Youth plaintiffs, Kalālapa Winter and Mesina D-R (last name withheld), joined HNN’s “The Debrief” to explain the lawsuit and what comes next.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

While the settlement details specific action on how the state must decarbonize transportation and implement other environmental policies, the plaintiffs explained they are going to need help from the public too.

“For anyone listening, we’re going to need help,” Mesina said. “Even though the state has agreed to work with us very happily and the courts have agreed to work with us, we’re still going to be hitting blocks.”

“There’s going to be times when we’re going to need petitions. There’s going to be times we’re going to need people to show up at the Capitol... There’s going to need to be widespread education.”

Kalālapa, who is Native Hawaiian, further emphasized the need to educate the broader community and encouraged families to start the conversation about climate change and environmental issues at home.

“We are paving the way for our grandchildren’s grandchildren to have lives here as Hawaiians, to exist here. For lahui, that education is important because unfortunately, a lot of communities like mine, there’s a lot of miseducation,” she said.

“Quite frankly, that access to education is not available. Understanding what an electric vehicle does and why it’s better than my gas guzzling ‘yota’ is not really a conversation being had. But, those are the types of conversations that should be happening at the dinner table of all people in Hawaii and worldwide.”

While the settlement didn’t change the state’s carbon emission goals, it could force the state to plan exactly how it’s going to get there, and put a judge in charge of making sure it does.

The Transportation Department has one year to come up with a clear plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transportation, including interisland travel and shipping and vehicle highway miles.

It must set up a unit focused on reducing fuel use on highways and the youth advisory council. Budget decisions must be analyzed for climate impact and the state must invest in clean transportation — like a statewide network of vehicle chargers and bikeways.

As for interisland air travel, assuming jets are still needed, airlines might have to put money into things like planting forests to balance what they burn. The goal is net zero — not a ban on fossil fuel, yet.

Gov. Josh Green said he wanted a robust settlement.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE:

“This issue is one of the only issues that transcends cultures, war, religion, borders, and it’s really going to take looking past all of our differences on a global scale. Because the atmosphere wraps around all of us, it doesn’t care if you live in this country or that country or you believe this or believe that, it’s going to affect everybody,” Mesina said.

And that’s why the two young advocates said they are going to need everyone’s help in this fight against climate change.

“I really want to put out a call to everyone in Hawaii who cares about our future,” Kalālapa said.

“Even if you didn’t care about the land, if you care about your children, if you care about a child anywhere, this is going to affect them, especially in Hawaii...This settlement and the actions taken are going to really save our people here.”

In the two years of fighting the lawsuit, the state spent $3 million. But with this settlement, the first of its kind in the U.S., the state avoids an even more costly trial, according to Deputy Attorney General Ciara Kahahane.

The legal team included a national non-profit called Our Children’s Trust and Earthjustice. The attorneys for the plaintiffs will not receive compensation from the state, which is usually the case in lawsuits defending constitutional rights.

To learn more and keep up-to-date with the lawsuit, click here.