In an attempt to rhetorically negate climate change, Florida legislators are purging the term from state laws, signaling denial rather than action.
Craig Pittman writes for Florida Phoenix.
In short:
- Florida Representatives propose bills to remove 'climate change' from legal documents, aiming to sidestep the issue.
- This symbolic erasure does nothing to combat the tangible effects of climate change experienced in the state.
- Critics argue this move contradicts efforts by previous Republican administrations that acknowledged and began to address climate change impacts.
Key quote:
“We built [Florida's Climate Future] because we wanted to make it clear to Floridians that we’re already picking up the tab for climate impacts to our state.”
— Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director of Environmental Defense Fund
Why this matters:
Climate change denial in Florida disregards its substantial impacts on public health and safety, symbolizing a broader trend of political evasion that could undermine national efforts to address environmental challenges effectively.
Peter Dykstra: Ten durable, indestructible denial memes that wouldn't be so harmful, except that they're now part of national policy.
