Coastal Wetlands Should Be Key Component of Washington Climate Plan
Pew urges stronger protection to boost resilience and reduce carbon pollution
The Pew Charitable Trusts, on Aug. 22, submitted comments to Washington’s departments of Ecology and Commerce on the state’s draft Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, “a roadmap, guiding policies and actions to reduce emissions” for 2030 and beyond. The plan was developed in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program.
Pew’s letter commended the state’s commitment to leveraging natural and working lands—including coastal wetlands such as tidal marsh, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests—as part of its climate strategy and emphasized the urgent need to protect and restore such lands, which help reduce carbon pollution but are declining nationwide. Central to Pew’s recommendations is integration of “blue carbon” strategies, which are designed to conserve and expand coastal ecosystems that capture and store carbon. The letter positioned blue carbon as a powerful, science- and nature-based solution to help Washington meet its goals and enhance ecological and community resilience.
Specifically, Pew urged the state to incorporate blue carbon into its greenhouse gas inventory; expand restoration efforts, including by leveraging public-private partnerships and innovative financing; apply the best available science as it develops rules and methodologies to conserve coastal habitats; and better coordinate across agencies and align with Tribal priorities. The letter also advocated for facilitating marsh migration, removing tidal barriers, and protecting forested tidal wetlands, which are among the Pacific Northwest’s most carbon-dense habitats and are a vital salmon habitat.
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