The need for action to stop increases of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere is urgent. Climate scientists believe that the planet is at serious risk of crossing “tipping points” that will lead to irreversible increases in global warming.
Cities collectively release more than two-thirds of global warming gases. Without the best efforts of Seattle and other cities, future generations will face catastrophe.
As we learned through the deadly 2021 heat dome and repeated episodes of wildfire smoke, Seattle residents are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change.
Our homeless neighbors and low-income residents are in the greatest peril, frequently living in “heat islands” that lack air conditioning or the cooling effect provided by adequate tree cover.
Unfortunately, the city of Seattle is not on track to meet its goals of reducing total core greenhouse gas emissions 58% by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Efforts by Seattle and its local government partners are ongoing to upgrade public transit, install electric vehicle chargers, electrify city buildings, and remove fossil gas heating from large commercial buildings. These efforts are a beginning, but they fall far short of the scope and urgency that is needed to meet the city’s goals.
No city plan lays out in clear terms how and when Seattle will meet its climate goals, how it will measure its progress and how citizens can ensure accountability from their government leaders.
We are particularly concerned that we haven’t seen any indication that new members of the City Council intend to make climate action a priority. We understand the importance of other pressing issues, but ignoring the climate challenge ignores our children’s and grandchildren’s futures.
What can be done now? The City Council and Mayor Bruce Harrell should:
∙ Reaffirm the city’s commitment to the early phase-out of greenhouse gas emissions.
∙ Explain how and when the city plans to implement climate actions and accomplish climate goals.
∙ Establish schedules for climate actions and track progress. Are we on track, and if not, why not?
∙ Monitor key indicators to provide meaningful data on overall emission reductions.
∙ Prioritize the capacity of vulnerable communities to survive in the face of worsening climate conditions.
∙ Put climate at the forefront of the Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Plan, the Transportation Levy and 2024-25 budgets. When adopted by the City Council this year, these plans will determine whether future development patterns and transportation spending support the city’s climate goals.
∙ Avoid raiding our only dedicated fund source, the Green New Deal portion of the JumpStart payroll tax, in order to plug a hole in the city budget. This fund, about one-fifth the size of Portland’s Clean Energy Fund, is replacing dirty fuel-oil furnaces and creating climate resilience hubs that will offer refuge and resources during extreme weather events.
Thousands of Seattle residents have made significant changes in their own homes and in their transportation, but citizens can ’t solve the problem on their own. The City Council and mayor bear responsibility for supercharging these efforts. Failure to take these or similarly bold steps will guarantee that we won’t meet our goals. The measures they put in place today — or fail to put in place — will shape the lives of future generations.
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