State lays out plan to tackle impacts of climate change in Washington

Department of Ecology News Release - September 30, 2024

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OLYMPIA -

Six of the past 10 years Washington has experienced drought conditions. Decades of research show that snowpack is dropping across the western United States. Flooding has caused hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and loss of life. And time and again in recent years, huge wildfires have destroyed entire neighborhoods and blanketed Washington with choking smoke.

The impacts of climate change are here, affecting lives, jobs and the natural environment all around us.

To deal with those threats and prepare for the impacts still to come, 10 state agencies came together to develop a new climate response strategy for Washington, which was released today. Using the latest science as a foundation, the state's climate strategy identifies actions that agencies will take to address the top climate change threats facing Washington: drought, changing ocean conditions, flooding, extreme heat, and wildfires and smoke.

While Washington is a leader in the fight to reduce the carbon pollution that is driving climate change, we are already seeing the significant damage rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns are causing in our state.

"Washington got lucky this summer. We had fewer major wildfires and more moderate drought," said Laura Watson, director of Washington's Department of Ecology. "We know that was just a temporary reprieve. We've seen devastating proof in recent years of how vulnerable our state is. We are very susceptible to rising temperatures, summer wildfires, drought, and winter floods. We have to prepare now so we're ready for what's to come."

Recent severe weather events like the 2020 Labor Day smoke storm and the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome were linked to hundreds of additional deaths in Washington, noted Dr. Umair A. Shah, secretary of the Washington State Department of Health.

"These aren't hazy, nebulous risks we face at some point in the far future," Dr. Shah said. "Our families, neighbors, and communities are being harmed today. We must protect our most vulnerable residents and provide a healthy environment for our children to grow up in."

Creating the new response strategy was directed by the Washington Legislature, bringing together the state departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, Health, Natural Resources, Transportation, the Washington State Conservation Commission, the Emergency Management Division, and the Puget Sound Partnership. The University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group grounded the work with the most up-to-date science and developed a framework to measure progress on climate adaptation. The Legislature also directed the 10 agencies to update the plan every four years to incorporate the latest science, resources and concerns into the strategy.

"This plan gives our state a roadmap to respond to major climate impacts like wildfires, smoke, severe heat, drought, and flooding," said Jason Vogel, interim director of the University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group, which acts as a hub for climate information and adaptation strategy for Washington state agencies and communities. "By understanding what the state can do, what resources are available, and where they can have the greatest impact, we can limit the damage caused by these events, protecting lives, livelihoods, and the environment that supports us all."

In the plan, each of the responsible agencies will act as the lead for specific actions, based on their existing roles and expertise. An example is the Department of Health's proposed efforts to save lives from extreme heat. The agency will work to expand access to cooling infrastructure for vulnerable communities and support residential weatherization for low-income individuals.

The strategy also identifies needs for future consideration by agencies, such as increased support for Tribes and local governments, solutions to reduced water availability, and novel flood management strategies.

The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) - the state's most important tool to reduce carbon pollution - is also a vital source of funding for much of the state's climate response work. The CCA has helped fund investments like relocating Quinault Indian Nation villages threatened by rising sea levels and coastal flooding, and supporting integrated floodplain projects that reduce flood risk to communities and promote the restoration of fish habitats and riparian areas.

Having a plan to prepare for climate impacts and better coordinating the state's response will also help Washington attract federal investments, said Watson, helping to leverage national programs like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

"This strategy can only work if everyone involved pulls together to turn preparation into action," Watson said. "We've built a better roadmap; now it's up to us to follow it toward a stronger future."

Editors: For specific questions regarding individual state climate resilience programs, please contact the individual agencies. A number of state agencies will be discussing the new strategy at an event at the University of Washington Thursday, Oct. 10. Ecology will issue a media advisory in advance of the event with details.

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