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I feel strongly that climate change will be both the greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity for our state, our nation, and our planet in the coming decades. The science has spoken – we all know that the problems presented by climate change are real, they are happening as I write this, and they have the potential to get much worse if we don’t act now.

In some ways it feels redundant to outline what we have to preserve by meeting the climate challenge. Washingtonians share a deep appreciation for our state’s spectacular natural beauty and abundant natural resources. Our way of life is intrinsically bound up in the Cascades, the Olympics, Puget Sound, and the Walla Walla wine country. We know what’s at stake and we know that in order to pass a Washington we recognize on to our children, we must take action now.

We also know that meeting the challenge of climate change offers incredible opportunity. As our leaders make strong policy decisions, as our economic leaders make bold economic moves, as our innovators discover exciting new ways to harness energy, we are changing the world around us. Reducing global warming pollution is necessary, but it also presents the prospect of new horizons for economic growth, environmental protection, and our energy future.

I have lived in Washington for almost twenty years. I treasure its natural beauty, its vitality, and its people. Climate change is a global problem, but the solutions can, and must, start here. By changing Washington’s course, we can make a difference nationwide and worldwide.

Bill LaBorde is the Program Director of Environment Washington.