Tacoma climate conversations to discuss carbon pricing and policy

The city of Tacoma is sponsoring a series of talks about climate change and what city government can do to prepare for warming and resulting sea level rise.

The next meeting, on Monday, will discuss local and global proposals to tax carbon pollution.

It follows an October kickoff that attracted 45 people. The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group outlined what’s in store for the Pacific Northwest’s future as the climate changes due to increased greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Such changes include less precipitation falling as snow in the Cascades and Olympic ranges, increasing forest fires and the chance of fall floods.

NASA announced in May that carbon in the atmosphere had exceeded 400 parts per million for the first time in recorded human history. As the amount of atmospheric carbon rises, more heat is trapped in the atmosphere. Temperatures tend to rise faster at the Earth’s poles, which will cause landlocked glaciers to melt and the sea level to rise.

City of Tacoma sustainability manager Kristin Lynett said areas in Tacoma that will be impacted by sea level rise include Ruston Way, the Tideflats and parts of Point Defiance Park.

“I think people were really interested in seeing the facts as scientists know them now,” Lynett said.

The last talk in the series, scheduled for December, coincides with the United Nations climate conference in Paris. UN delegates will talk about how to limit future human-produced carbon emissions during the two-week summit.

Residents can RSVP to attend the talks at the city website, cityoftacoma.org/climateconversations. Reservations are not required.

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 4:00 AM with the headline "Tacoma climate conversations to discuss carbon pricing and policy."