Taking on climate change — and growing Washington's green economy

February 15, 2008
by Jay Manning and Juli Wilkerson

Gov. Chris Gregoire describes climate change as the defining environmental challenge of our time. How we respond says everything about who we are as a people and a state. It's a challenge that today's generation can’t — and won’t — turn its back on. Protecting our quality of life and environment for our children and grandchildren are values that we take seriously in Washington state.

Climate change is a global challenge. However, our federal government has refused to provide needed leadership. In fact, the federal executive branch has blocked laws Washington, Oregon and other states enacted that require new cars sold within our borders to release lower levels of climate-changing gases. We will win in court, but the day when climate-friendly cars arrive in our auto dealerships has been delayed.

Governor Gregoire and the Legislature have put our state on the path of leading the way on creating solutions to climate change. It’s our duty, it’s good business and Washington is especially vulnerable to climate change. For example:

Our coastal and Puget Sound communities, shorelines and billions of dollars in infrastructure are at risk from the predicted rise in sea level.
Our homes, businesses, farms, forests, and communities are at risk from extreme weather. While science cannot link a specific weather event to climate change, scientists increasingly detect connections between climate change and patterns of extreme weather events.

Last February, the Governor directed us to consult with a broad range of Washingtonians to develop a state climate change strategy. Business leaders, environmental leaders, educators, tribal leaders, labor representatives, and the faith community participated on the Climate Advisory Team. Clark County was well represented by Sen. Craig Pridemore and Port of Vancouver Executive Director Larry Paulson. The Advisory Team developed specific recommendations and strategies to reduce climate-changing pollution, increase clean energy jobs and reduce our reliance on foreign fuels.

At the same time, other working groups developed recommendations to help prepare for the unavoidable effects of climate change on human health, agriculture, forestry, coastal areas and infrastructure, and water quality and quantity.

We have now delivered our report, Leading the Way on Climate Change: The Challenge of Our Time.

We conducted an economic analysis of most of the recommended strategies, and while some of them will result in a net cost, many more will result in a net savings. Indeed, our economic analysis estimates a net benefit throughout Washington’s economy of nearly $1 billion by 2020 if the recommendations are carried out.

Right now, crucial work is happening on two fronts:

In the Legislature, Sen. Pridemore is prime sponsor in the Senate of the Governor’s 2008 legislation, developed with the business and environmental communities, to lay the groundwork for measurably reducing climate-changing pollution, to increase well-paying clean energy jobs, and to reduce Washington’s dependence on foreign fuels.
Washington state is chairing the Western Climate Initiative – a regional coalition that will recommend a regional market system providing incentives for businesses, governments and others to reduce climate-changing gases from their operations. The regional market design will be ready by August. We will work with in-state and regional partners so it can be presented to the state Legislature next January.

All of this will help grow our economy. Our work on cleaner energy, smarter use of natural resources and advances in technology is creating good, family-wage jobs. We will meet Gov. Gregoire’s goal of creating 25,000 clean energy jobs by 2020.

Our state’s ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit will allow Washington not only to meet the challenge of global climate change, but also to further build our well-earned reputation as a clean, green and competitive state – a great place to live and work, a great place to do business, and a great place for our children and grandchildren.