Washington § 70A.05.020 - Requirements of strategy — Content of updated strategy — Report to the governor and the legislature.

(1) The integrated climate change response strategy should address the impact of and adaptation to climate change, as well as the regional capacity to undertake actions, existing ecosystem and resource management concerns, and health and economic risks. Agencies should consider a range of scenarios and time scales for the purposes of planning in order to assess vulnerability of state assets and services and inform agency actions to reduce expected risks and increase resiliency to the impacts of climate change.

(2)(a) By September 30, 2024, the department of ecology shall compile an updated climate change response strategy, including information and data from the departments of fish and wildlife, agriculture, commerce, health, natural resources, and transportation, the state conservation commission, the Puget Sound partnership, and the emergency management division that: Prioritizes solutions that can be implemented within and across state agencies; and identifies recommended funding and technical and other essential resources for implementing solutions.

(b) The strategy must include:

(i) A summary of each agency's current climate resilience priorities, plans, and actions;

(ii) Strategies and actions to address the highest climate vulnerabilities and risks to Washington's communities and ecosystems;

(iii) A lead agency or group of agencies assigned to implement actions; and

(iv) Key gaps to advancing climate resilience actions, including in state laws, policies, regulations, rules, procedures, and agency technical capacity.

(c) The strategy must be guided by the following principles:

(i) Prioritize actions that both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate preparedness;

(ii) Protect the state's most overburdened communities and vulnerable populations and provide more equitable outcomes;

(iii) Prioritize actions that deploy natural solutions, restore habitat, or reduce stressors that exacerbate climate impacts. Specifically, prioritized actions must include those related to drought resilience, flood risk mitigation, forest health, urban heat islands and the impacts of the built environment on the natural environment, Puget Sound health, and mitigating expected impacts on outdoor recreation opportunities;

(iv) Prioritize actions that promote and protect human health;

(v) Consider flexible and adaptive approaches for preparing for uncertain climate impacts, where relevant; and

(vi) Address the risks in each geographic region of the state with appropriate scope, scale, and urgency.

(3) By September 30, 2024, the department of ecology, in coordination with partner agencies, shall provide recommendations to the governor's office and relevant committees of the legislature, consistent with RCW 70A.65.050, on a durable structure for coordinating and implementing the state's climate resilience strategy, including a process for prioritizing and coordinating funding for climate resilience actions across agencies.

(4) The department of ecology shall update the climate response strategy every four years and provide interim biennial work plans to the governor's office that report on implementation progress and summarize agency needs and priorities for biennial budget planning processes starting by September 30, 2025.

(5) Agencies responsible for implementing actions in the updated strategy shall provide information needed for reporting to the department of ecology by August 15th of odd-numbered years starting in 2025. Agencies may identify and include any resources needed to carry out duties under RCW 70A.05.040.

Findings—Intent—2023 c 169: See note following RCW 70A.05.010.