Toby Overdorf, Ian Lares-Chacin: Why prioritizing environment, energy security, climate are important for conservatives

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Today, conservative leaders across Florida are launching the Florida First Energy Alliance. Forward momentum within the conservative movement demands that Republicans lead on energy security, climate and the environment, and there’s no better place to start than in the GOP’s most significant stronghold, home to President Donald Trump, where Republican leaders are already accustomed to taking on complex environmental challenges.

As Republican leaders from different generations, we are keenly aware of the need for sage environmental leadership. Like many fellow Floridians, we are homeowners, hunters, fishers, boaters and beachgoers. We watch with concern as flooding becomes more frequent and water quality issues become more serious. Florida’s greatness is built on our beautiful natural environment and so will its future.

Beyond being critical for the health and prosperity of our state, being pro-environment is essential for continued electoral success. The rising generation sees climate and the environment as major priorities, and young voters need to know that conservatives have a concrete vision for environmental policy. In addition, Florida voters of all ages – including Trump supporters – support conservative environmental leadership, with some polls suggesting that Florida Republicans are the most environmentally minded red-state Republicans in the country.

Unfortunately, many younger voters are being taught that when it comes to the environment, conservatives are villains. This is despite a legacy of environmental leadership in the Republican Party, including and especially here in the Sunshine State. It is on us to prove them wrong.

These are the reasons we are joining together to form the Florida First Energy Coalition. Conservative leadership is essential to the future of our state and country, and if we leave energy development and environmental stewardship to the Democrats, we will all be disappointed.

Of course, our approach will differ from that of the Left. Many of the Left’s environmental bills have hidden costs that make life harder for the working class in exchange for minuscule environmental wins and giveaways for corporate interests. We prefer approaches that work with the private sector to harness innovation, do not pick winners and losers, and are centered around foresight and good planning.

We want to give companies incentives to produce low-carbon energy, which will make America cleaner and richer. We also want America to be not just energy-independent but energy-dominant, working with industries to make energy more sustainable, affordable, and abundant.

When we say we’re “Florida First,” we mean it. We don’t chase after toothless international treaties that leave our workers behind and drive manufacturing overseas. We acknowledge that China is the world’s largest polluter, and rather than regulate our own industries to extinction, we seek to hold Chinese manufacturers accountable to the same standards as U.S. companies, ultimately making it competitive to bring those jobs home once again.

Fortunately, in building this vision within the conservative movement, we aren’t starting from zero.

Florida’s Republican leaders have already been leading the way forward, from Gov. Ron DeSantis devoting millions to resiliency efforts to Senate President Passidomo expanding access to Florida’s wildlife corridor to statehouse leaders in one voice spotlighting the imperative to tackle global emissions.

Further, the Republican Party also has a legacy of promoting environmental stewardship. Republicans are responsible for creating the National Parks Service and the National Forest Service, founding the Environmental Protection Agency, staving off the ozone crisis, and deploying market-based solutions to solve the acid rain challenge. More recently, in Congress, environmentally minded Republicans have launched the Conservative Climate Caucus and have attracted over 80 Republicans to join its ranks, including a half dozen Floridians.

Building on this rich tradition, the Florida First Energy Alliance aims to spotlight environmental solutions that make – and keep – our state and country great. We will help conservatives lead on the environment, promote conservative environmental principles, and demonstrate to the nation that environmental stewardship and conservative values go hand in hand.

Florida conservatives have shown we can lead the state in the correct direction. It is high time that we do a better job educating the public on how we can and will continue to step up to the plate for a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous tomorrow.

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Toby Overdorf is Florida State Rep. for House District 85.

Ian Lares-Chacin is the statewide Chair of the Florida Federation of College Republicans.