After more than a decade of work, the Washington Legislature passed the strongest carbon pricing policy in the nation. The Climate Commitment Act establishes an economy wide cap & invest program, covering approximately 75% of the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This contributes to the goal of achieving GHG emission limits of ultimately getting to net zero by 2050, including benchmarks that track the 2030 & 2040 limits with a declining cap system.
Importantly, this law will also reduce air pollution from persistent sources across the state, engage Tribal Nations and representatives from overburdened communities in the overall management and leadership of the program, and will generate needed revenue to invest across the state to decarbonize our economy, build climate resiliency, and address longstanding inequities from the climate crisis.
Regrettably, the Governor vetoed Section 6 of the Climate Commitment Act, which removes tribal consent language. We disagree with his decision and are committed to ensuring this veto isn’t the last word on this issue.
