Despite a bleak outlook for climate action nationally, the people of the Pacific Northwest showed up for climate action in a big way this November, demonstrating that when communities organize and work together for a healthier future, we can accomplish remarkable victories.
First, a little backstory:
In 2022, Washington communities came together to pass the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) cap-and-invest program, enabling the state to hold polluters accountable. Major polluters now must pay for their carbon emissions, creating a fund ($2.6 billion and counting!) that supports a wide range of pollution-cutting projects, including projects benefiting tribes and communities hardest hit by climate impacts.
Shortly thereafter in 2023, Oregon communities rallied in support of robust climate policy, resulting in the Climate Protection Program. Oregon’s CPP is designed to clean up the state’s largest sources of pollution, improve our air quality, and create more clean energy jobs and resilience for communities.
Anti-climate foes attempt to strike back
These wins didn’t sit well with the opponents of climate progress.
As part of an attack on a range of progressive priorities, wealthy hedge fund manager Brian Heywood and other extreme conservatives funded an effort — Initiative 2117 in Washington state — intending to repeal significant portions of the Climate Commitment Act and block the state from enacting any other carbon pricing mechanism.
Meanwhile, Oregon’s Climate Protection Program was blocked by opponents before even going into effect when fossil fuel companies and utilities convinced a court to send regulators and clean air advocates back to the drawing board.
We knew we’d have to defend our critical progress, but could we fight in both states simultaneously? Could we win?
Yes. And YES!
Communities triumph
An expansive and diverse coalition came together to defend progress — and we achieved an incredible set of wins for climate — needed to keep going as the climate clock ticks.
Climate Solutions and more than 500 groups worked together to oppose Initiative 2117 and defend Washington communities, including big and small businesses and environmental groups, tribes, advocates for low-income and recent immigrant communities, unions, and more. In November, Washington voters rejected it by a “super majority” margin. 🥳 The Climate Commitment Act remains the law in Washington State — and even in more conservative-leaning counties, voters showed they wanted to keep the CCA on the books — the benefits are just that good!
In Oregon, Climate Solutions joined with partners in the conservation, environmental & economic justice, businesses, and Indigenous communities to gather support for a robust Climate Protection Program. Hundreds of Oregonians showed up and testified in support of the reworked Climate Protection Program rules. The state’s Environmental Quality Commission just voted to enact them, cementing Oregon’s rules to cut climate pollution and protect our communities, now and for decades to come. 🥳 The remaining components of the Climate Protection Program — including the Community Climate Investments fund — will take shape in 2025.
What’s next?
With Washington’s Climate Commitment Act already producing remarkable results for communities statewide and Oregon’s Climate Protection Program soon to follow, Washington and Oregon remain national leaders on state-level climate action. We can be proud of that.
The next four years likely won’t bring much in the way of federal climate action or investments, nor do we expect the oil and gas industry to stop trying to derail climate action. The climate movement must continue pushing our local and state elected leaders to curb climate pollution with every tool available. Stay tuned for Climate Solutions’ 2025 state legislative agendas and more opportunities to take action in 2025. But in the meantime, let’s savor these wins and spread the word that good things can happen when the people fight back.
