FL Small Town Mayor Willing To Face Climate Reality That Big, Bad GOP Never Will

[hatrack]

Here in Florida, we’re experiencing the impacts of climate change first hand. Sea level rise has caused flooding in Miami to be a regular occurrence. Hurricanes are more frequent and severe. In the past five years, Florida has seen five natural disasters that qualified for disaster declaration by the Federal Emergency Management Administration. And yet, Senator Marco Rubio claims “the climate has always changed.”

A recent analysis from the Center for American Progress Action Fund showed that more than 202 million – or 63 percent – of all Americans are represented in Congress by someone who denies the science behind climate change. This stands in stark contrast to poll after poll showing that more than 67 percent of all Americans support taking action to address climate change.

Here’s a science lesson for Senator Rubio: Power plants are our nation’s biggest source of carbon pollution. And while we limit many other pollutants from power plants, the U.S. only last year finalized standards for carbon pollution. Carbon pollution from power plants drives climate change and its impacts, like extreme weather, wildfires, severe drought, and rising seas. A recent study from Rutgers University showed that seas rose faster during the last century than at any time during the previous 2,700 years. And with the three to four feet of sea level rise scientists predict by 2100, nearly $346 billion of Florida property is at risk.

EDIT

These actions are simply unacceptable. Miami sees nuisance flooding of about six inches on a regular basis, and over the next several years that will only increase. We simply don’t have time for members of Congress to continue denying the facts. Because whether they accept the science or not, climate change is here and human activity significantly contributes to it. It’s time for Florida’s leaders to stand up and face this challenge head on to protect Florida and her people – not the polluters who fill their campaign coffers.

EDIT/END

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/sfl-the-dangers-of-climate-change-denial-20160314-story.html

[dhill926]

1. luckily, Senator Helium will soon just be working in a non consequential think tank...

somewhere. Hopefully, folks in Florida will take notice and elect people who will address this. As a former Floridian, I love the state...hate who represents it...

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Hurricanes are more frequent and severe.??????????????

The way the sentence is written, it implies that "Hurricanes are more frequent and severe." follows the topic of "Here, in Fla" in the first paragraph.

weird thing is, we have not had much in the way of hurricanes since 2005...
the hurricanes have all moved to the pacific, where they are indeed more frequent more severe.