Critics have attacked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as they have claimed that this blatant climate change denial is hurting the Sunshine State.
For years now, DeSantis has fought against even the idea of climate change. However, in recent months the Florida governor has put through policies that attack climate change and helpful environmental policies.
Policies That Harm Florida
Detractors of the Florida governor have pointed out that he has done many things that put Florida at risk, especially because the Sunshine State is one of the many U.S. states that will be at the forefront of climate change.
DeSantis’ policies and actions have undermined past efforts on climate resilience and sustainability.
Getting Rid of the Phrase “Climate Change”
Perhaps most notably, DeSantis recently passed a bill that completely gets rid of the phrase “climate change”, as well as similar words or phrases, from official state policies and communications.
Critics of this move have stated that there was no reason to do this. Now, the scientific community has explained it will be harder to combat various climate issues through Florida policy.
Florida Doesn’t Follow Federal Policies
Florida has often gone against federal policies, especially during DeSantis’ reign. Recently, his administration has made an extraordinary effort to go against federal environmental policies.
This has further led to the lack of cooperation between Florida and the federal government on issues like climate change.
Rolling Back Renewable Energy Goals
That’s not all DeSantis has done recently. His administration has also worked to roll back renewable energy goals that past officials and administrations had worked towards.
Now, there isn’t as much work going into helping make Florida full of renewable energy by using solar panels and wind turbines. Instead, Florida must continue to rely on fossil fuels, which are harmful to the planet.
Encouraging the Use of Natural Gas
While DeSantis has worked to limit using renewable energy, he has pushed for more use of fossil fuels and natural gas.
In fact, he even allowed for the easing of regulations that have long been put on natural gas. These regulations were created for a reason — but critics say DeSantis’ denial doesn’t allow him to see reason.
Pushing Fossil Fuels
Many critics have often pointed out that DeSantis is incredibly friendly with fossil fuel executives. They have attacked the governor for always backing fossil fuels in the state.
DeSantis’ administration has pushed for expanding both gas and oil production within the Sunshine State, even though scientists have said this could negatively affect the environment.
Banning Offshore Wind Energy Projects
DeSantis’ administration has also passed new regulations that completely ban offshore wind energy projects from being developed.
Detractors have majorly criticized this move, as wind energy projects can greatly help with sustainable environmental solutions.
Sea Levels Are Continuing to Rise
Florida, as well as many other coastal states in the U.S., has long had to worry about the danger of sea levels rising. Scientists have explained that as the planet’s temperatures warm, sea levels will rise thanks to the melting of massive glaciers and icebergs.
Florida, therefore, is particularly vulnerable to sea level rises. However, DeSantis hasn’t put through any policies to help coastal communities with this unfortunate inevitability.
A Lack of Monitoring Skyrockets
Florida used to give funding to various environmental programs that monitored changes in climate and the environment.
However, DeSantis has pushed for this funding to be incredibly reduced. As a result, there are no longer efficient monitoring systems that can see how Florida may be impacted by climate change.
Economy vs Science
DeSantis has long looked at what will benefit the economy in Florida — even if this would negatively affect the state’s environment and its populations.
Detractors have asked for better equality in this regard. However, DeSantis’ administration has always chosen its own economic interests over scientific recommendations.
Florida May Continue to Suffer
According to many DeSantis critics, the governor’s actions are hurting many Floridians, especially during a brutally hot summer that may see a lot of hurricanes.
Instead of pushing through policies that could help coastal communities, detractors claim that the governor is instead choosing to bask in his own climate change denial.
