The 13th annual symposium of the Washington State Academy of Sciences addressed perhaps the most consequential issue facing the global community today: the need to decarbonize human activities. Unless levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are held below levels that are fast approaching, the nations of the world will face crises greater than any they have experienced in the past.
The symposium was entitled “Creating a Model for Global Decarbonization through Washington State Science, Engineering, and Technology” because of the vast potential for scientific research and technological innovation to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases not just in Washington State but around the world. In particular, the symposium focused on three sectors where science, engineering, and technology in Washington State could have worldwide effects: land use, aviation, and information and communications technologies.