Craig Pittman: Florida officials omit climate change terminology to elude issue recognition
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.
