OLYMPIA, WASH. – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and B.C. Premier John Horgan have advanced work together to rise to the challenge of climate change while investing in a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

“We are honoured to have Premier Horgan visit Washington state. This meeting will build on the important work we’ve done together over the past few years,” Gov. Inslee said. “Washington and British Columbia share so much, from our natural beauty to our innovative economies. This visit is a great opportunity to for us to come together to advance substantive and concrete proposals to advance our common interests."

Gov. Inslee joined Premier Horgan as he signed on to the Statement on Stepping Up Climate Ambition. The states of Washington and California, the Government of Canada and other governments, as well as agencies from around the globe, have supported the statement, which emphasizes the need to increase ambition and strengthen efforts to tackle climate change.

“B.C. and Washington state are taking important steps forward together to fight climate change, grow the innovation economy and build a sustainable future,” said Premier Horgan. “I’m very optimistic about what we can achieve to make life better for the people who live in the Pacific Northwest.”

Both B.C. and Washington state introduced climate action plans in December 2018.  

Gov. Inslee has proposed a plan to the state legislature that would accelerate innovation and efforts already underway across the economy to transition to 100% clean energy, construct ultra-efficient buildings, establish a clean fuel standard, electrify the state’s transportation system and phase down super-pollutants in certain products.

The CleanBC climate action plan is designed to help B.C. reduce climate pollution while creating more jobs and economic opportunities for people, businesses and communities.

On Oct. 10, 2018, Premier Horgan and Gov. Inslee signed a memorandum of understanding to act jointly to grow the region’s innovation economy, protect the environment and combat climate change, promote trade and improve transportation connectivity.

Premier Horgan and Gov. Inslee are also working with West Coast partners to create opportunity and grow prosperity in the region while fighting climate change through the Cascadia Innovation Corridor and the Pacific Coast Collaborative.

Quick Facts:

• The Statement on Stepping up Climate Ambition is in response to a report by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 Celsius.
  • It reflects signatories’ determination to step up climate ambition in order to achieve the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement of holding global warming to below 2 Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 Celsius.
• In 2016, Gov. Inslee, along with Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gov. Jerry Brown of California, founded the U.S. Climate Alliance.
  • The U.S. Climate Alliance includes 20 governors, representing 47% of U.S. population, and is committed to taking action that urgently addresses the climate challenge.
• CleanBC was launched by the B.C. government on Dec. 5, 2018. The plan is designed to help B.C. lower greenhouse gas emissions and seize new, clean-economy opportunities. CleanBC helps British Columbians use more clean and renewable energy in how they get around, heat their homes and fuel industry — setting B.C. on the path to a cleaner, brighter future.
• The governments of British Columbia and Washington state are part of the Pacific Coast Collaborative with Oregon and California. In 2013, California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia set the IPCC on its current course of ambitious climate and clean energy policy by signing the Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy, which was updated three years later as the Pacific Coast Climate Leadership Action Plan.
  • In 2016, the IPCC strengthened its regional collaboration network with the addition of the cities of Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. through the Pacific North America Climate Leadership Agreement.
• Premier Horgan is in Washington state Feb. 7-8, 2019. The two-day trip with Gov. Inslee includes speaking engagements and meetings with government and business leaders in Seattle and Olympia, including Microsoft and the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Premier Horgan was scheduled to give a formal address to the Washington state legislature Friday, Feb. 8, but the speech was cancelled due to snow. It will be rescheduled in the future.

Learn More:  

Read the Stepping Up Climate Ambition statement here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Statement_on_Stepping_Up_Ambition.pdf

Washington state's Dec. 10, 2018, announcement of its clean energy policy:

https://medium.com/wagovernor/clean-electricity-clean-buildings-and-clean-transportation-inslee-plan-would-launch-19d789c99334

For more information on the CleanBC plan, visit: https://cleanbc.gov.bc.ca/

Pacific Coast Collaborative: http://pacificcoastcollaborative.org/

Cascadia Innovation Corridor: http://connectcascadia.ca/