Businesses support climate action

Why do so many businesses, large and small, support climate action? To quote the 47 major companies that signed a recent C2ES statement, “Leveraging American investment and innovation toward the technologies of tomorrow will create jobs, drive growth, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness. Near-term climate actions can contribute significantly to our economic recovery.” Among the companies signing this statement were Amazon, bp America, and Microsoft.

Adobe, Starbucks, REI and Vulcan are among 70 companies in the Ceres BICEP Network. On behalf of their Network, Ceres submitted a letter to the Washington state legislature “to express strong support for the implementation of equitable market-based policy solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the adoption of legislative proposals that will produce environmental justice (EJ) protections and prevent further disparate impacts”.

Federal Express joined more than 50 other major corporations when it announced last week that it aims to be carbon-neutral by 2040. “Executives say that a gathering cultural change is fueled by companies responding not only to shareholders but to the growing urgency of climate change and the concerns of their own employees and customers”.

Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is calling for “a fiscally and environmentally responsible infrastructure package that stimulates the economy and improves the quality of life for every American….” 

Here in Washington, the Climate Commitment Act (SB 5126) proposes to stimulate the economy and improve the quality of life for every Washingtonian, and is gathering momentum with a broad array of individuals, organizations and businesses signed in as “Pro” during testimony in legislative hearings. This list of supporters includes:

• Climate Solutions
• bp America
• Washington Environmental Council
• SEIU 1199NW
• Environmental Defense Fund
• IBEW
• Puget Sound Energy
• Washington Conservation Voters
• Black Lives Matter Alliance
• The Nature Conservancy
• Puyallup Tribe of Indians

Washington’s business community recognizes the economic benefits of energy efficiency, infrastructure investment, and regulatory certainty. The Cap & Invest Climate Commitment Act is the right approach to take climate action and enhance our state’s competitiveness in the post-pandemic economy.