OLYMPIA, Wash. – Labor unions from across the state launched a new coalition on Monday, July 31st, to address climate change in the workforce.

The coalition, called Climate Jobs Washington, calls for pro-worker climate action to support job growth, especially in communities of color and rural areas.

Along with their announcement was a report that listed 20 effective ways to create high-quality climate jobs in Washington.

Those recommendations included reopening the Alcoa Intalco aluminum smelter in Ferndale, which closed in 2020 after 54 years of operation.

The researchers at Cornell University who authored the report say full implementation of all the policy suggestions could create over 800,000 jobs across the state.