Climate Scorecard’s 2024 Government Climate Leadership Award is presented to a country official who has done the most to reduce emissions in their country’s government over the past year. Below is a copy of the letter sent to each nominee and why they were chosen to receive this award.
US 2024 Climate Scorecard Award:
Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington State
Dear Governor Inslee,
My name is Abby Carlson, and I am the US Country Manager for the Climate Scorecard. I am reaching out to you on behalf of Climate Scorecard to honor you with our annual Government Climate Award. Climate Scorecard was founded in 2015 as an NGO with the goal of providing timely reporting on the state of 20 leading countries in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Every month, Country Managers work with Executive Director Ron Israel to create reports that are published and circulated to thousands of readers.
Your actions committing to effective climate legislation and policy have made Washington state a leader in its climate change agenda. Most notably, your cap and invest program through the Climate Commitment Act demonstrates the necessary measures to hold significant oil accountable and allow Washington to shift off fossil fuel reliance. I would like to see action from your office next year to create a sales tax in Seattle, such as in Denver, for their Climate Protection Fund. This fund has led to significant projects shifting away from greenhouse gas emissions in Denver, and I would love to see it implemented in the greater Seattle region.
We are honored to connect with you and provide you with this award. Your effective climate action has made a significant and unforgettable difference in Washington and sets a precedent for what the United States should be like.
Thank you,
Abby Carlson Ron Israel
US Country Manager Climate Scorecard Co-Founder
In 2023 alone, Inslee established a new Climate Corps program and bolstered climate volunteer and workforce opportunities for sustainability jobs. In addition, to improve the ability of local communities to respond to climate change, the governor signed a bill to incorporate climate change and resiliency goals into the Growth Management Act (HB 1181). To support the implementation of the state’s numerous clean energy policies, the governor signed legislation to improve the siting and permitting of clean energy facilities (HB 1216) and transmission planning (SB 5165). Historically, Inslee co-founded the bipartisan U.S. Climate Alliance and the International Ocean Acidification Alliance and helped lead the Pacific Coast Collaborative, America Is All In, and Under2 Coalition. Finally, he signed into law the Climate Commitment Act, the state’s signature climate policy, cap and invest market-based program, which sets the state to have its biggest polluters reduce their carbon footprint in the state and pay allowances for above-threshold emissions. The law aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state by 95% by 2050.