Confronting Climate Change in Washington

Climate change is causing record-breaking wildfires, ocean acidification, and declining snowpack in Washington, threatening the state's shellfish, forestry, and hydroelectric industries. Projections suggest temperatures could rise by 5°F to 8.5°F by the end of the century, with significant risks to coastal property and forest health. The document advocates for carbon pricing, cleaner transportation fuels, and a transition to zero-carbon electricity to mitigate these risks.

• Washington's shellfish industry, valued at $270 million and supporting 3,200 jobs, is at risk due to ocean acidification, which causes the softening of oyster shells and declines in hatchery production.
• Temperature increases in the Pacific Northwest have already occurred, with average annual temperatures rising by at least 1.5°F and winter minimums by more than 4.5°F since the first half of the 20th century. Future projections suggest a further increase of 5°F to 8.5°F by the end of the century.
• Sea level rise threatens over 7,000 coastal residential properties in Washington, with a current value exceeding $2 billion, facing chronic inundation within 30 years. In Seattle, sea levels have already risen eight inches over the last century.
• Declining snowpack, which has decreased by more than 70 percent in some parts of Washington since the early 20th century, threatens summer water supplies and the timing of hydroelectric power generation, which provides 70 percent of the state's electricity.
• Warmer and drier conditions are increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires; the 2015 season saw over 1 million acres burn in Washington, including the Okanagan Complex Fire which destroyed 195 structures and caused over $60 million in damage.
• Climate-driven forest stress is increasing susceptibility to pests like the mountain pine beetle, and the area of severely water-limited forests is projected to increase by nearly 50 percent by mid-century.
• To mitigate climate impacts, the document recommends that Washington establish a carbon price, enact cleaner transportation fuel policies, expand electric vehicle infrastructure, and aim for a net zero-emissions energy sector by mid-century.

APA

Drummond, B. (2018). Confronting Climate Change in Washington. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/08/ucs-confronting-climate-change-washington-2018.pdf

Chicago

Drummond, Benjamin. Confronting Climate Change in Washington. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2018. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/08/ucs-confronting-climate-change-washington-2018.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Drummond |first1=Benjamin |title=Confronting Climate Change in Washington |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=August 2018 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/08/ucs-confronting-climate-change-washington-2018.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{drummond2018confronting, author = {Drummond, Benjamin}, title = {{Confronting Climate Change in Washington}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/08/ucs-confronting-climate-change-washington-2018.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }