Culture wars on climate change at odds with Florida voters

Floridians think "natural infrastructure" is important.

While Florida’s residents are already grappling with the tangible economic costs of a changing climate, the Legislature’s erasure of the term is tone deaf. From soaring electric bills to the threat of encroaching sea levels on coastal real estate — no matter what it’s called it is impossible to ignore.

Floridians do not have the option to whisk away what they do not want to be reminded of.

Their rising electric bills sit on the counter. Their homes sit under water after a storm. The cost to insure their home or a cancelled policy has become crippling.

A new tool called Florida’s Climate Future was developed to bring clarity about the economic costs of climate change for residents across the sunshine state today and in the near term. This platform, synthesizes publicly available data into interactive maps, pinpointing the risks of energy insecurity, extreme weather, and unbearable heat for each county across Florida.

“Climate risk is not one size fits all in Florida. This effort shares localized and layered information on how the rising costs of climate in our state impact your family,” said Dawn Shirreffs, Florida Director of the Environmental Defense Fund.

The maps reveal deep energy insecurity in Florida’s panhandle, scalding 123-degree temperatures in Collier County and grave flooding risk in St. Johns and Martin Counties.  Florida must let data and not partisan politics guide decisions and policies. This tool is crucial for informing decisions and spurring proactive responses as Florida navigates its rapidly changing climate realities.

“Our hope is that by compiling all the data that already existed, Floridians and our elected officials will see we have to focus on mitigation efforts to reduce taxpayer risk and substantial financial loss due to climate change,” said Thais Lopez Vogel, co-founder and trustee of the VoLo Foundation.

The science is clear. The question is: when will Florida’s position on climate change evolve from partisan debate to action that protects communities? Climate change has become a question of economic stability and the well-being of Florida’s citizens. Floridians are ready for action according to a recent FAU poll showing overwhelming bipartisan support. Now it is time to address it as such.