Climate Commitment Act Declaration 2021

In Support of a Program to Address Climate Change While Improving Economic Recovery

Washington State has achieved some notable progress in addressing climate change and ushering in a clean energy economy, and yet carbon emissions in the state are still growing. To meet the state’s climate goals and those of the Paris Climate Accords, more needs to be done.

As individuals, organizations, and businesses across diverse sectors of the Washington state economy, we are committed to meeting the profound challenge of climate change. That’s why we are supporting the Climate Commitment Act ‘s cap on emissions that will:

• Improve the productivity of Washington’s economy by reducing costly energy waste, creating good jobs, and improving public health
• Provide a clear signal for businesses to innovate and compete while cost-effectively reducing carbon pollution to legislated limits
• Invest in rural communities, clean air, and natural lands to stimulate local economies while improving environmental health
• Accelerate the clean transportation shift, harnessing our clean power system for an electrified future, boosting employment with locally sourced energy, and delivering cleaner, safer infrastructure
• Empower the most vulnerable and impacted communities and energy intensive trade exposed businesses, contributing to a more just and equitable Washington by prioritizing public investment and mitigating initial costs

Our customers, investors, employees, and communities are demanding us to view climate action as a business imperative. Our individual company climate ambitions alone are not enough. We need government action to create durable policy and send clear signals that catalyze creative solutions and create jobs across the economy. This can be done while also meeting the vital needs of overburdened communities, low-income households and workers disadvantaged by the energy transition.

We are coming to this legislative session with a focus on action and accomplishment to meet the state’s net-zero carbon pollution goals and we are ready to seize this opportunity with Governor Inslee and the Legislature to reinforce Washington state’s leadership in clean growth.