Florida lawmakers are taking extensive measures to remove mentions of climate change from state laws in a new bill signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. The bill makes significant changes to the state’s energy policy, including deleting sections that discuss cutting planet-warming pollution and giving preferential treatment to natural gas while banning offshore wind energy. The language of the bill emphasizes protecting the state from what DeSantis calls “green zealots,” rejecting the pursuit of a radical climate agenda.
Despite efforts to erase climate mentions from laws, Florida is one of the most vulnerable states to climate change impacts, such as rising sea levels and record temperatures. South Florida in particular has experienced extreme heat waves and increased flooding. While the state is removing climate initiatives from legislation, they are also investing over $1.1 billion in increasing community resilience to flooding and storms. The appointment of a chief resilience officer acknowledges the challenges posed by climate change, although federal funding related to climate and clean energy has been declined by the state.
Experts note that Florida’s approach to funding programs dealing with climate impacts without acknowledging climate change’s root cause is consistent with a conservative stance. Lawmakers are focusing on adapting to climate change and hardening infrastructure without attributing it to a warming planet. Florida’s rejection of federal funding for climate grants and energy rebates reflects a reluctance to move away from fossil fuels, as seen in the state’s veto of millions of dollars in federal energy rebates and grants. While some Florida metropolitan areas have shown interest in federal funding for climate initiatives, the state as a whole remains hesitant.
The law passed by Florida lawmakers goes further than many other states in repealing existing climate laws, leading to concern from experts about the state’s vulnerability to climate impacts. The erasure of climate change references in government documents was a common practice during the Trump administration, and Florida appears to be following suit with this legislation. Despite facing increasing threats from rising sea levels and extreme weather events, Florida is downplaying climate change initiatives in favor of resilience efforts. The state’s continued rejection of climate funding and transition away from fossil fuels highlights a concerning trend of prioritizing adaptation over addressing the root cause of climate change.
In a state like Florida, where sea level rise poses a significant threat to coastal communities, ignoring the role of climate change in exacerbating these issues could have dire consequences. Experts warn that Florida’s reluctance to address the root causes of climate change could leave the state ill-prepared to tackle future challenges. By erasing climate change from legislation and focusing solely on resilience measures, Florida lawmakers may be missing an opportunity to take meaningful action to address the impacts of a warming planet. As other states and cities across the country ramp up efforts to combat climate change, Florida’s decision to move away from climate initiatives raises concerns about the state’s ability to adapt to a changing climate in the long term.
