Inslee Signs New Pledge To Slash WA Carbon Emissions

WASHINGTON — Gov. Jay Inslee joined leaders from across the world in Glasgow, Scotland this weekend in signing pledges to reduce carbon emissions in the coming decades. According to the governor's office, Inslee led a coalition of representatives from dozens of state and local governments at the COP26 climate summit.

The governor announced an executive order committing Washington to electrify state fleets and convert them to zero-emission vehicles over the next two decades, targeting a 2035 deadline for light-duty vehicles and 2040 for heavy-duty fleets.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to effectively mitigate climate change," Inslee said Sunday. "The actions we take in the next five years will determine the fate of our species. I’m proud to stand with this global coalition of governors and mayors to go beyond pledges," Inslee said. "Together, we are charting a path to make tangible, meaningful progress to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and get to net-zero by 2050. Now is the time for leaders to buckle down and get it done."

Other pledges included requiring zero-emission car sales by 2035 and zero-carbon by 2045, along with "net-zero" emissions requirements for newly constructed buildings by 2030.

The governor's office pointed to a recent report from the United Nations showing current emissions could spur global temperatures to rise by 2.7 degrees Celcius by 2100.

Read the full text of Inslee's executive order online.