Beyond “Early and Often” - Lessons from the Molokai CERAP

Beyond “Early and Often” — Lessons from the Molokai Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (CERAP)

Across Hawai‘i and other affected communities, energy resilience has become an increasingly urgent planning challenge in the face of climate change, high energy costs, and disaster vulnerability. On the island of Molokai, these issues are compounded by geographic isolation, infrastructure constraints, and a deeply rooted commitment to community self determination. Over the past several years, Shake Energy Collaborative has served as a core facilitator for the Molokai Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (CERAP) - a community-led initiative to develop energy generation and grid upgrade solutions for Molokai that can attribute its roots to decades of grassroots activism and community organizing around energy issues.

This presentation will explore the process and outcomes of the Molokai CERAP, offering insights into how energy planning can be grounded in Indigenous values, community priorities, and long-term resilience goals. It will also offer opportunities for discussion between planners working at the intersection of not only climate, energy, and equity, but any planner engaged in holistic planning. We offer an opportunity to move beyond the mantra of "engage early and often" toward practices of deep collaboration, trust-building, and shared governance.

This presentation will fulfill the following learning objectives:

• Understand the unique energy resilience challenges and opportunities on Molokai;
• Explore community-led planning frameworks for equitable and just energy transitions;
• Learn co-design and facilitation strategies used to center frontline voices in technical and policy decision-making;
• Identify takeaways for how planners can support energy and climate justice across Hawai‘i and beyond.The presentation will conclude with a Q&A and an open conversation about how planners can integrate similar approaches in their own work.

NOTES:

• Please join the Zoom Meeting directly through the Online Event on Eventbrite.
• Presentation begins promptly at 12:00 noon.
• The cost is FREE for APA/APA-HI members (with discount code); $5 for non-members; and free for students.
• MEMBER DISCOUNT: In order to receive a 100% discount on Member tickets, APA/APA-HI members will need to: 1) click "Enter Promo Code"; 2) enter the email address associated with their membership; 3) click "Apply" to apply the discount; 4) select the ticket they wish to purchase (i.e., "Member"); and 5) proceed to Checkout.
• AICP Members: This event will be submitted to APA for CM credit (1.0 credit). After attending the event, you should be able to register the CM credit.

---------------------------------------------

PRESENTERS:

Sébastien Selarque and Sofia Luczak are community planners at Shake Energy Collaborative, a women-owned, Honolulu-based public benefits corporation that co-develops community-owned renewable energy projects.From Kaneʻohe, Oʻahu, Sebastien has a background in electrical mechanical engineering and is a graduate of UH Manoa’s Masters in Urban and Regional Planning program. His passion is to combine efforts towards climate goals and justice goals to achieve liberatory and sustainable outcomes.From ʻAiea, Oʻahu, Sofia has a background in history and is a graduate of UH Manoaʻs Masters in Urban and Regional Planning program. Her passion is working at the intersection of community planning, the environment, and resilience to bridge gaps and create opportunities for solutions and understanding.