Inslee’s climate change proposals should be approved

I am writing to applaud Gov. Inslee’s new package of legislation dedicated to addressing climate change. We are alerted every day now in news stories and in detailed reports, including the recently released, congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment, to the negative impacts on our environment, our health, and our economy.

What is discouraging is legislators who are critical of such measures, such as state Sen. Doug Ericksen (R), quoted in your article of Dec. 11 as saying “The impacts on the economy could be dire.” I would like to direct his attention to the “Global Investor Statement,” a call-to-action issued at this month’s United Nations’ COP 24 global change conference in Poland. This group is comprised of 415 investors with $32 trillion in assets-under-management. The investors request that governments “phase out thermal coal power,” “put a meaningful price on carbon,” and “phase out fossil fuel subsidies.” They note the consequences of “unacceptably high temperature increase” and “substantial negative economic impacts.” With temperature rise, they predict $23 trillion of associated global economic losses over the next 80 years. The Investor Agenda of the UNEP Finance Initiative estimates that this is permanent economic damage three or four times the scale of the impacts of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis while continuing to escalate.

I encourage legislators to thoroughly study the reports and the facts therein and make an informed and ethical vote to pass this package of laws. It is in the best interest of all current constituents and future generations.