Over the course of the last several weeks, we have seen many headline stories regarding climate change and its effects.
- The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) issued its most recent report on the matter
- Governor Jay Inslee signed an executive order aimed at drastically reducing Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions
- The White House released the National Climate Assessment which carefully outlined, not only what the future holds in regards to climate change for the country, but also highlighted the current effects on each region of the nation including the Pacific Northwest
- And most recently the sobering story about the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet has many climate observers concerned about an even scarier sea level rise than previously imagined
With Governor Inslee’s executive order, and proposals in the House of Representatives, we find Washington well positioned with the leadership necessary to both fight back against the rising tides of climate change, while also taking advantage of the economic opportunity it presents in the form of transitioning to a green energy economy.
Climate change seems to have broken through the media barrier that has been well documented by those who follow it. If the trend of increasing headline coverage continues, it’s probably safe assume climate change has arrived as a potent social issue that can’t be ignored.