WA Gov. Inslee’s ‘big talk, ineffective action’ on climate change is the wrong approach | Opinion

Washington state Governor Jay Inslee announced that he will not seek a fourth term, prompting reporters and activists alike to examine his in-office record.

Dubbed the “Climate Governor” throughout his decade as the Evergreen State’s leading man, Inslee even mounted a presidential campaign largely based on this record. Although his presidential bid was not successful in 2020, then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden later praised Governor Inslee’s approach to climate issues in a reelection endorsement.

The Inslee Administration emphasizes Washington’s role in building the country’s clean energy future and reaching net-zero emissions, but the inconvenient truth is that under his administration, the state’s emissions rose between the start of his term and 2019. Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, which is a cap-and-invest emissions reduction program, was passed in 2021 and implemented this year to reduce the state’s emissions by 95 percent by 2050.

It’s too early to see whether or not the program will be effective, but it sure seems as though the self-proclaimed Climate Governor might have pulled a fast one on all of us.

The Inslee Administration’s climate strategy has been a top-down, government-heavy approach that simply has not yielded the results for emissions reductions and environmental protection that he’s promised on the campaign trail. Not only have emissions risen, but forest health across the state has suffered due to poor management, and there are other conservation concerns across the state.

This isn’t to suggest all of Washington’s environmental challenges are Governor Inslee’s doing, but this approach of “big talk, ineffective action” isn’t working for our people or our planet. Rather than having a clean energy mandate while hindering the state’s hydropower industry, for instance, Washington state would benefit far more from innovative, competitive energy markets and an all-of-the-above approach.

We need environmental leadership in this country that is willing to unlock the potential of American energy. For Washington state, that means producing clean, abundant energy from hydropower — not slowly pushing it out of business. Hydropower is the largest energy source in the state of Washington, producing more electricity for Washingtonians than coal and natural gas combined. More generally, hydropower accounts for more than 30 percent of our nation’s renewable energy generation. Yet, in recent years, Governor Inslee has expressed support for replacing hydropower. Even though the Governor signaled openness to replacing hydro with nuclear energy when asked, the administration is primarily focused on wind and solar power. We should have all of the above. We cannot afford to gate-keep clean energy, like so many are trying to do, if we’re to meet our climate goals by mid-century.

Rather than putting perfection over progress, Washington state needs an actionable, effective climate strategy that helps people and the planet. This means properly managing the state’s beautiful forests to naturally store carbon and prevent damaging wildfires. It means allowing for a competitive, market-driven energy grid that prioritizes energy abundance and decarbonization. It means putting every solution on the table. Governor Inslee’s climate agenda may be in good faith, but if the last decade has taught us anything, it’s that his agenda is ineffective.

Picking winners and losers is all too common in our current climate approach. Whether we’re favoring wind and solar over hydropower and nuclear energy or favoring government overreach over market forces, we’re choosing wrong. According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of Americans want to see climate action, but it’s glaringly obvious that the status quo isn’t working. We need fresh leadership — in 2024 and beyond — that embraces the fact that there is no silver bullet to our climate challenge.

With Governor Inslee officially leaving the governor’s mansion in 2025, Washington state can now choose a different climate path, one paved with real action and emissions reduced rather than pretty campaign speeches and empty promises. It’s time for Washington — and the rest of the country — to commit to climate action.

Benji Backer is the president and founder of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). He lived in Washington for six years and is a graduate of the University of Washington.