EVERETT — In a new report released on Nov. 26, the Washington Department of Ecology detailed how $1.5 billion of Climate Commitment Act dollars were invested in the 2023-2025 biennium.
The Climate Commitment Act, passed by the Legislature in 2021, is designed to reduce pollution to 95% of 1990 levels by 2050.
The law works by putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions and capping the amount of emissions allowed in a year. Companies then compete to buy allowances for emissions or pay heavy fines for failing to meet limits. As years pass, the state issues fewer and fewer allowances, forcing companies to adopt cleaner practices.
The revenue generated from the allowances and fines is then reinvested into climate change solutions and resilience projects with an emphasis on communities historically overburdened by climate change effects.
“The Climate Commitment Act is moving us toward a low-carbon economy and helping our most vulnerable communities adapt to the realities of climate change,” said Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller in a press release. “Having detailed, transparent information about CCA spending ensures that lawmakers can continue to guide those investments wisely.”
The Department of Ecology’s dashboard allows residents to see where dollars have been invested, allowing viewers to change filters to highlight certain projects, from geographic location to pinpointing involved agencies.
During the 2023-2025 biennium, Snohomish County invested almost $2oo million in 295 projects, with 56% of projects benefiting vulnerable populations in overburdened communities.
Overall, the state invested $1.5 billion, with 60% of investments supporting vulnerable communities.
You can find the dashboard at https://climate.wa.gov/washington-climate-action-work/climate-commitment-act-polluters-pay-communities-benefit/cca-dashboard-how-climate-commitment-act-funds-are-invested.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson.
Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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