A 29-year international discussion was distilled into a 2.5-hour conversation at the Bainbridge High School theater May 4, but for the host, it’s all part of one long message.
Former Washington governor Jay Inslee moderated a group discussion on international climate change cooperation as part of the library’s Great Decisions program, an annual event series that presents high-level issues to the public for education and debate.
Inslee is no stranger to this conversation. He was honored by Time Magazine as an “Earth Hero” for his work toward climate resiliency independent of national leadership as governor of Washington and for his participation at the international COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, a three-day U.N. event covering climate change and its global impacts.
Over 150 people attended the May 4 event, which included a 30-minute presentation followed by a question-and-answer session for panelists. The event concluded this year’s Great Decisions, which also included several events on U.S. foreign policy in China, the Middle East, in Europe’s NATO nations and homeland security as it pertains to artificial intelligence.
The conversation coincided with the nine-year anniversary of the historic 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which is endorsed by all 197 global nations and formally joined by all but Iran, Yemen and Libya. U.S. participation has fluctuated with each presidency since, with former President Barack Obama initially signing April 22, 2016, followed by President Donald Trump pulling out of the agreement in 2017 during his first term. Former President Joe Biden rejoined the agreement in 2021.
In response to Trump’s actions, Inslee established the U.S. Climate Alliance, a group of 22 states and two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and Guam) that “recognize their obligation to carry the ball with a climate denier in the White House, and the inarguable ability of states to act of their own accord.”
Josh Busby, renowned American scholar of climate change policy, authored the Great Decisions topic. He asked attendees to debate the progress international coalitions like the United Nations Climate Change Council and other groups have made, and what direction policy should take in the future.
“Experts and political leaders have come together seeking common cause for this growing global crisis. What is the future of these efforts, and what have they yielded? What is the U.S. role in fostering cooperation on climate change? In a divided country, what are the possible futures for American policy leadership?” Busby wrote.
In his experience as a leader, Inslee said, this is one international issue that requires both leadership and individual action, regardless of who is in charge.
“At this dark moment, we see peril in coping with the effects of climate change, but we also face much promise of building a new, better, higher-paying green economy. This promise, however, won’t happen without millions of Americans standing up for action,” Inslee said. “You have the power to shape the destiny of every place you touch. You have the power to demand action from your representatives, to be on the streets, to make contributions to groups in the political trenches. The only thing that would be wrong is to do nothing.”
