This morning we sent our latest Report Card for Washington's Future analysis out to media and legislative lists. This time our focus was on environmental and energy policies. Once again, data shows Washington state is not where headlines and political claims suggest we would be.
For example, Washington state is not a "leader" in reducing CO2 emissions. Despite expensive policies, our emissions have increased over time. We'd need to have 3 more COVID-sized economic shutdowns to reach our 2030 target goals. That's not realistic or desireable.
Some may be skeptical of WPC and may be tempted to dismiss our analysis as data from a "right-wing" organization (despite our non-partisan, free-market identity). But the data comes from government sources. It's not WPC data, it's publicly available official data. We just need Washington's leadership to be brave enough to look at it and re-think current policy.
Here's the press release that went out this morning (link to the full report is included):
SEATTLE – Despite the state’s reputation as a national leader in climate and environmental policy, data show Washington is failing to make progress on a range of environmental issues, including emissions reduction, salmon recovery and EV adoption.
The data come from an analysis released today by Washington Policy Center (WPC) as part of their ongoing Report Card for Washington’s Future series. WPC Vice President for Research Todd Myers examined several aspects of state environmental policy and found state data indicates the programs are failing or significantly underperforming.
For example, Washington’s expensive climate policies have not yielded the promised results. An examination of available data shows Washington’s CO2 emissions increased from 91.8 million metric tons (MMT) in 2012 to 96.1 MMT in 2021 at a time when politicians claimed they were falling. Washington’s per capita CO2 emissions declined slightly during that period, but less than the national average and less than states like Massachusetts or Florida.
“No policy should be treated like a success if it fails to produce results,” explained Myers. “We have limited financial resources and we should make sure they are spent effectively so we can be good stewards of the environment now and for future generations. It’s past time we looked at the results of our programs and canceled wasteful programs that aren’t working.”
Data also shows that contrary to claims salmon restoration improved over former Governor Inslee’s terms in office, salmon populations stagnated. The 2022 assessment from the governor’s Salmon Recovery Office noted that “most species on the list are in crisis or not keeping pace with recovery goals.” This failure not only hurts tribes and anglers, but also Puget Sound Southern Resident Killer Whales whose health depends on salmon recovery.
“You can’t see an orca like Tahlequah carry her dead calf in mourning and not get angry about our failure to prioritize effective salmon recovery and put resources where they would be most effective,” said Myers. “Yet we’ve seen Tahlequah do this twice now and we must do a better job of putting salmon recovery resources where the science shows they’d do the most good.”
The ‘Report Card’ also examines gas and energy prices and the state’s Electric Vehicle rebate program.
Between 1999 and 2021, there was “little to no change” in abundance of Puget Sound Chinook. Average annual population increase in Puget Sound runs was less than 1 percent. - https://www.pugetsoundinfo.wa.gov/Indicator/Detail/4
Despite Governor Inslee’s executive order that 40 percent of all state passenger vehicles be electric “by 2025,” only 13.7 percent vehicles meet that requirement according to the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services.
The complete energy and environment study is available for reading or download here.
The Report Card for Washington's Future section focusing on education is scheduled for release Monday, February 10th.
