A small fee stands to make a big impact in Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i lawmakers passed a groundbreaking bill that will impose a small tax on visitors in an effort to protect the islands from the growing risks of a warming planet.

Funds generated by this “green fee,” as it is being called, will be used to invest in projects to fight climate change and stem biodiversity loss — including restoring native ecosystems such as coral reefs and native forests, and removing invasive grasses like those that fueled the deadly Lahaina wildfire in 2023.

“When we started the journey, it really was a moonshot idea,” said Jack Kittinger, who leads regenerative economies at Conservation International.…