Washington’s 2026 Legislative Session: Shaping a Path to Climate Resilience
Lawmakers convene in Olympia this week for the start of a fast-paced, 60-day session with tough challenges and big opportunities.
Recent flooding underscores just how vulnerable our communities are to extreme weather. Entire neighborhoods were inundated, roads washed out and emergency shelters filled—hitting hardest where people are already stretched thin.
This year also saw wildfires like the Labor Mountain fire in Chelan and Kittitas counties that blanketed communities with smoke for weeks and the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula that burned for months in one of the wettest areas of the country. These fires are symbols of a reality for Washingtonians, in which all corners of the state face wildfire threats that are growing in intensity and frequency.
With rising costs of living, families are increasingly vulnerable to climate-related emergency costs—from property damage to health complications, often compounded by disrupted employment.
These crises show how vulnerable communities are, but they also shed light on what is working.
Washington has laws and policies in place that we can lean on to continue to build resilience in the face of climate change—like the Climate Commitment Act, which directs millions to climate resilience and pollution reduction, and wildfire resilience funding that proactively tackles the wildfire crisis while investing in community-driven resilience projects.
2026 Priorities for People and Nature
To build on this progress and invest in what works, The Nature Conservancy is gearing up to advocate this session around three key priorities.
Restore Funding for Wildfire Resilience
In 2021, Washington committed $125 million per biennium to wildfire prevention and forest health. Those dollars are working—restoring forests, training more firefighters and supporting community-led projects to build wildfire resilience. A $60 million cut in the 2025-27 state budget threatens to undo that progress. We are calling on the Legislature to restore full funding for wildfire resilience because learning to work alongside fire—and mitigating its catastrophic impacts—is by far the safest and most cost-effective way forward.
Accelerate Clean-energy Deployment that Works for People and Nature
Washington’s electrical grid faces unprecedented demand and utility costs are rising. If done right, expanding transmission and clean-energy sources can lower bills, cut pollution and protect landscapes. The Nature Conservancy is advocating to accelerate clean-energy deployment to meet state climate commitments, center communities and Tribes, and conserve and restore intact landscapes. This includes addressing impacts from the rapid growth of data centers.
Ensure Climate Commitment Act investments deliver impact with integrity
Washington’s Climate Commitment Act is the state’s most powerful tool to cut greenhouse gas pollution and invest in communities most impacted by climate change. This session, we have the opportunity to ensure revenue from the CCA’s cap-and-invest program delivers tangible results for Washingtonians: Cleaner air, lower energy costs and projects that build resilience in the face of climate impacts.
Investments in climate and conservation deliver real, everyday benefits. They help families weather economic and climate shocks, create well-paying jobs and build a future in which Washington’s communities and ecosystems thrive together. Without these investments, we risk deepening inequity and leaving families more exposed to disasters like floods and wildfires.
We are calling on the Washington Legislature to continue the momentum to build resilience and tackle climate change in communities across the state.
A Commitment to Partnership
We believe that progress happens through collaboration. We’re proud to work alongside partners in the Environmental Priorities Coalition, BlueGreen Alliance, Washington Association of Land Trusts, Washington Prescribed Fire Council and Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition to advance shared priorities this session.
Follow along with our advocacy team during this year’s Legislative session and stay up-to-date on our legislative priorities by visiting our social media channels: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
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Our Stories
Climate Commitment Act Funds Help Washington Youth Thrive in Their Communities
Sponsored by No on 2117 Committee, PO Box 21961 Seattle, WA 98111. Top five contributors Steve and Connie Ballmer, Chris Stolte, William H. Gates, Puyallup Tribe of Indians and The Nature Conservancy.
Protecting Forests and Communities Across Washington: Climate Commitment Act Investments in Wildfire Resilience
Sponsored by No on 2117 Committee, PO Box 21961 Seattle, WA 98111. Top five contributors Steve and Connie Ballmer, Chris Stolte, William H. Gates, Puyallup Tribe of Indians and The Nature Conservancy.
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