Washington state was one of only 10 subnational entities invited to participate in the United Nations General Assembly last week in New York City. That privilege was earned by the state's demonstrated leadership in climate action.
Gov. Jay Inslee represented Washington state at the summit, and he was afforded the rare honor of addressing the assembly as a governor.
"The road to destruction is paved with long-term aspirations," said Inslee. "Today is one hundred times more important than tomorrow on what we actually need to do to solve this problem."
The governor highlighted Washington’s advances in the climate fight, led by the Climate Commitment Act’s cap and trade system for slashing emissions and incentivizing clean energy. The state has passed other measures to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels, require superior building efficiency, and more.
Meanwhile, many world leaders hem and haw. Big Oil companies are actively running massive disinformation and greenwashing campaigns. Some pundits and lobbyists outright deny the science of climate change, while others claim to accept it but suggest delayed action.
It's an imperative moment for the planet. Washington state is choosing to lead the world towards a healthy future.