Alliance members are working to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing emissions, accelerating action, centering equity, and tracking progress. 

Explore Washington's policies and actions across the Alliance's 10 key policy areas. Numbers presented below only reflect the number of policies in this database and thus may not reflect all climate policies pursued.

washington

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity Generation

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

HB 1282: Buy Clean, Buy Fair Act

The Buy Clean, Buy Fair Act will reduce embodied carbon in the construction of state-owned public buildings. The bill requires new reporting and tracking of emissions associated with the manufacture of building materials, and establishes a work group with environmental, government, industry, and labor partners that will support the transition to low-carbon construction.

On March 20, 2024, the Washington Department of Commerce filed a CR-103 (PDF) and final rules (PDF) to update Commerce regulations in Chapter 194-24 WAC to reflect new versions of appliance efficiency standards for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), residential ventilating fans, and air purifiers. Appliance Standards Updates apply to appliances manufactured on or after January 1, 2024.

Appliance Standards Updates for Residential Ventilating Fans, Air Purifiers, and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

The key provisions in this bill include reporting on three categories of building materials (concrete, steel, and wood) used in covered projects, development of a database to track data, manage compliance, and promote transparency, and convening a technical work group to provide recommendations on future policy and program development.

Buy Clean Buy Fair

Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Management Study

The report addresses critical questions related to end-of-life pathways for EV batteries, volume projections, relevant regulations, economic implications, and considerations pertaining to battery chemistry. Research included a combination of literature reviews, case studies, and stakeholder engagement efforts, including interviews, webinars, and an on-line survey.

Stakeholders identified the following priorities for further action: 

1. Provide training, education, and resources to first responders, second responders, and automotive recyclers.
2. Determine who should have financial responsibility and liability for EV batteries.  
3. Form a Washington State EV Battery Management Task Force with a broad set of stakeholders to address mid- and long-term policy needs.

HB 1220, Supporting emergency shelters and housing through local planning and development regulations

The housing goal guiding the development of comprehensive plans and development regulations for Growth Management Act jurisdictions is updated to provide that jurisdictions plan for and accommodate, rather than encourage the availability of, affordable housing. 

The housing element of the comprehensive plan is updated to require jurisdictions to do the following:

- include, within the urban growth area boundary, moderate density housing options in addition to single-family residences in the housing element statement of goals, policies, objectives, and mandatory provisions for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing;
- identify sufficient land and zoning capacities for housing including moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income households; emergency housing, emergency shelters, and permanent supportive housing; and within the urban growth area boundary, consideration of duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes;
- take several actions to address racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing, and establish anti-displacement policies

Cities and counties must also consider policies encouraging the construction of accessory dwelling units as a way to meet affordable housing goals.

Washington State Climate Resilience Strategy

The Climate Resilience Strategy:

- Prioritizes environmental justice and advances Washington's focus on equity and reducing impacts of climate change on overburdened communities.
- Identifies ways the state can aid climate-response activities by local and tribal governments and others.
- Brings together current climate change response work across multiple agencies and improves the efficiency and coordination of state efforts, including federal funding opportunities.
- Identifies outcomes and actions that address the highest climate change risks and vulnerabilities, including identifying clear agency leads and metrics that enable reporting and transparency on our progress.