Good news from California

August 27, 2021

When crafting Washington’s best-in-the-nation Climate Commitment Act (CCA), leaders in Olympia looked south to Sacramento to learn from the nation’s first cap-and-invest policy. They asked, “What’s working?” and “How can we improve upon that?” So as Washington’s CCA moves from legislative enactment to policy implementation, it’s encouraging to see how well California’s cap-and-invest system is working — both to drive down emissions and drive up the economy.

Just this week the results of the Western Climate Initiative’s August auction were released, and along with the recent release of the 2019 California Emissions Inventory, the news is good:

Auction allowances sold out for the fourth consecutive year
Over $1 billion raised for California’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
California met its 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goal four years ahead of schedule

For more on California’s progress, read this piece from the Environmental Defense Fund’s Katelyn Roedner Sutter. Excerpt:

“… At the same time, California’s economy has continued to grow. From 2018 to 2019, California’s GDP grew 2.6%, while greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP decreased 4.1%. This represents an overall reduction in the carbon intensity of the state economy – we are producing more while emitting less. The same has been true overall since 2000, and demonstrates that limiting emissions and growing the economy can go hand-in-hand.”

Washington can do even better, if we implement the CCA the right way.

Wednesday, September 8, from 2 to 3 p.m. PT, we’ll host a discussion with the Department of Ecology and Office of Governor Jay Inslee on the Roadmap to Cap & Invest Implementation.

We invite you to participate with us in continuing to shape this best-in-the-nation law.

If you have already registered, please invite any of your colleagues who may be interested in participating. Please share this link with your network.

We thank our webinar sponsor Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center.

Panelists will answer questions that are submitted in advance of the webinar. Please submit your questions before Friday September 3rd to info@cleanprosperouswa.com.

Paid for by Clean & Prosperous Washington
PO Box 21961, Seattle, WA 98111
info@cleanprosperouswa.com