What do the two Florida Senators and two Florida residing leading candidates for the Republican nomination have in common? They seem to not realize Florida is surrounded on three sides by ocean water.
Why do I say that as it is pretty obvious? Because none of the four (Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, Governor Ron DeSantis and former president Donald Trump) are ardent supporters of doing things to address climate change and none are calling attention to the risks within the state. Mind you, Senator Rubio has been the most vocal of the four recognizing climate change might be a problem, but for an elected leader living in Miami, one of the most at risk cities in the world, you would think he would be pushing for help with every fiber of his being.
The current Governor is like his predecessor pretending climate change is a political creation. DeSantis would rather spend his time on issues that are not really that important, except for the belief he can win votes by focusing on them. In the meantime, he is being criticized by Floridians who cannot get homeowners insurance due to more severe hurricanes or whose prices have gone through the roof.
From an article in called “Florida rocked by home insurance crisis: ‘I may have to sell up and move’” by Jedidojah Otte in The Guardian yesterday,
“Households in Florida, the third most populous state in the US, have been grappling for some time with a property insurance crisis that is making home ownership unaffordable for many. After at least six insurers went insolvent in Florida last year, Farmers on Tuesday became the latest to pull out of the Florida market, saying in a statement that the decision was based on risk exposure in the hurricane-prone state.
Climate change is threatening the very existenceof some parts of Florida. And the costs are already being felt by Floridians. At the end of 2022, average annual property insurance premiums had already risen to more than $4,200 in Florida – three times the national average.
Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, has been accused of dragging his feet on the insurance issue, as well as of a ‘catastrophic’ approach to the climate crisis after saying he rejects the ‘politicization of the weather’and questioning whether hurricanes hitting Florida have been worsened by climate change.“
For a governor who politicizes virtually everything, this last reference is sadly amusing. People are getting hurt regardless of whether he agrees climate change is making it worse. But, he is not the first governor to put his head in the sand. When Rick Scott was governor, he had an edict that no staff member could use the words “climate change” or “global warming” in speeches or papers. Scott was in essence holding back the rising seas by refusing to acknowledge it.
I recall watching a piece on climate change where the reporters were standing in ocean water that had, once again, risen from the street drains in the City of Miami Beach. This evidence of sunny day flooding has increased throughout the year. At the time, Governor Scott refused to send a representative to discuss this problem even though these folks were standing in a foot of ocean water.
Yet, the guy who has a home in Mar-a-Lago concerns me the most as he did before the 2016 election about climate change. While president, he appointed a climate change naysayer on his transition team, announced the US was leaving the Paris Climate Change Accord (we did return under President Joe Biden), had intellectual capital on climate change deleted from governments websites, had climate change experts in government fired or transferred, and attacked the efficacy of wind mills with inaccurate representations. In his business, he has unsuccessfully sued the Irish government to stop offshore wind mills being built visible to his Irish golf course. Maybe they will mess up his combover.
It is not just Florida that is at risk to climate change, but it serves a metaphor for the rest of the globe. It reminds me of the story of two islands in the Pacific Ocean. When it was obvious one small island was being consumed by the ocean with rising sea levels, the leaders boated to several larger islands before gaining permission to relocate their people to one of the islands. That is leadership. Just think what would happen if these four from Florida were in charge of the island affairs. At least they would try to hold back that rising woke tide they are so afraid of.
musingsofanoldfart 
This reminds me of a Carl Sagan quote:
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
Thankfully, reality has a way of forcing the issue between an entrenched belief about how someone thinks reality must be to align with that belief and what is actually the case. And business tends to come down squarely on the side of reality’s insistence that it’s ‘The Decider’ regardless of how politicized an issue may be or those who find short term gain to deny it.
So we find in Texas renewable wind/solar energy growing and passing the 25% mark with diehard Republicans rising up to defeat state legislation to subsidize fossil fuel interests. We have reinsurers forcing insurance companies in Florida and California to take climate risk into its actuarial tables and have coverage costs – if it is even available – to reflect reality’s mounting cost. Politicians with contrary beliefs to reality (including those who insist children can be born in the wrong bodies because biology stops at the neck) cannot compete in the long run, try as they might to bamboozle. For the betting person, reality has a 100% success rate.
Tildeb, thanks for your comment. These rising insurance costs have been highly predictable for ten years or more. Risk management programs have been teaching the added property risk of climate change at universities, so you would think coastal businesses and property owners would have been paying attention.
I appreciate your including Texas as they have quietly built an infrastructure to support an increasing wind energy capability, even though conservative legislators are told to look the other way.
Keith
Many states are full of people taking significant business steps to alter their energy sources, regardless of support from various levels of government. Also, some larger businesses are demanding if not total than a very high percentage of energy be from renewable and clean sources as a negotiated condition for investment and development. But it’s at the local level – especially from farmers – that offers great hope as many transition to farm crops as well as energy. This transition produces not only good paying jobs creating and maintaining local energy infrastructure but an increasing and steady revenue source for municipalities improving basic yet starved municipal services – from schools to roads to fire/police/EMS and so on. It also increases land value and so we’re starting to see increasing numbers of next generation farmers (certainly in Michigan) stay rather than leave. So obtuse political leaders find themselves more often than not trying to lead from the rear.
If these politicians and party hacks and spin doctors still don’t get it, there is a rising concern from the military, still the most respected government institution that crosses party lines starting to reach out to media:
“The Pentagon said in a statement to E&E News that it is “taking steps to understand, prepare for, and adapt to climate change while preserving operational capability and protecting key systems. Failing to adapt to climate change would result in lost military capability, weakened alliances, and degraded infrastructure.”
Things are changing/transitioning and for the better whether this reality is being reflected by our politicians and their divisive messaging or not. Faster would be better but – like going broke – it will be a little at a time and then… all of a sudden.
Well said. There is a great book by Miriam Horn called “Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman” which speaks to leaders in these and two other industries providing examples of how to make money, but also be environmentally conscious. It does not have to be one or the other, but begs for a holistic look at the issues and solutions.
Keith
Note to Readers: Living in North Carolina now, a key concern has been observed by meteorologists about hurricanes with the warming climate. The hurricanes are more often than before larger and slower, wreaking more havoc with their winds and flooding.
Florida has much greater exposure as the hurricanes can hit them from various angles and are more severe when over ocean water, at least in part. Being a fairly narrow and long state, the risk of the state getting hit is larger than other states.
Note to Readers II: I read today where a meteorologist received death threats for using the words “climate change” on the broadcast. Really? That is what we have stooped to?
Been going on for a while now.
With all the evidence, especially in Florida, but even in Europe and northern Canada, that humankind has severely damaged the environment and that we are quickly approaching the point of no return, the denial of climate change by anyone can only be considered willful ignorance. It’s ‘inconvenient’ to make the changes that would be requisite if one admitted it. And for the politicos, that means they would have to tell the voters the hard truths they don’t want to hear, so they lie, and their lies will ultimately doom all life on the planet. Florida, of all places, should be hypersensitive and ready, willing & able to take as much positive action as they can, but they keep buying into the lies. Good post, Keith! Will anyone listen?
Thanks Jill. There are folks who are listening, but the fossil fuel industry has renewed a full court press of dissuasion through its funded Republican puppets. Of all issues, we can no longer dilly-dally on this one. Voting for Republicans who do not openly support climate change action is harmful to our country and planet. Full stop. Keith
As I am struggling for air, I wonder how ANYBODY can still deny that our environment is in serious trouble. Of all the issues on the table today, and there are many, THIS ONE is the most crucial, for if we don’t immediately begin to repair our environment, none of the other issues will matter a decade from now! Thank YOU for bringing this to our attention … this is so important and needs to be heard and pondered by EVERY person on the planet! The fossil fuel industry needs to be put out of business and fast, but instead Congress is still pandering to them. Sigh. Does it have to come to the point where activists are blowing up coal-fired plants and oil wells???
Jill, the renewable energy train has left the station. We just need to keep it going and speed it up. Folks like the Florida four and the Texas governor and legislature (who are trying to pretend renewable energy success in the state has not happened) are just perpetuating current and future pain for their states. Texas has had two major hurricane floods in the past ten years impacting Houston and other towns and cities. They each were referred to as once in a lifetime floods. Keith
Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
The politicians of Florida … don’t say ‘climate change’!!! Why? It might alienate the voters to tell them they have to make some lifestyle changes, so … let’s lie to them and tell them everything is just hunky (cough, cough) dorey (cough, cough, gasp, choke)! Our friend Keith is spot on with his latest …
ThanksJill for the important reblog. Keith
It IS important, Keith … even more so than most of the things I write about, for life on Planet Earth is at stake. Thank YOU for reminding us and for shining a light …
Jill, many thanks. On my phone, the first post I see on your blog is the one on Greta Thunberg. Good choice. Keith
As a Florida resident I can’t began to express the frustration at our ostrich population and the despicable and outrageous lack of transparency displayed by this Republican gang of conmen who have the gall to over reach so far as to tell these residents to not say Climate Change, don’t say gay, burn schoolbooks, declare that anyone not following their “ rules” may face criminal charges. Use our tax dollars to transport immigrants from other states to Martha’s Vineyard… and get away with all this because they have stacked the Florida legislature with MAGA yes men. The many loopholes in our state and Federal government has become as clear as the nose our faces. The best example is the Freedom Caucus holding our House of Representatives for ransom and the outrageous actions of Al. Senator Tuberville. Even the Supreme Court is corrupt.
Thank you for addressing what’s happening in Florida Keith.
Holly, thanks. I am sorry you have to live among the purposeful disinformation campaign. My old home state deserves better governance on this existential threat. Further, whether the governor believes climate change is making hurricanes worse, six insurers have left the state and premiums have gone way up. What do you plan to do to help people governor? Keith
The governor plans on doing nothing (I live here too). His only concern is trying to be # 2 in case old trumpy can’t run if he ever is indicted and DuhSantis will then have the cult’s vote. So many ignorant bigoted people here it is mind blowing.
Mary, you are right about being the second choice, but he is running low on cash as donors are looking at Senator Tim Scott. We do need the other shoes to drop on Trump regarding his election meddling in GA and role in the insurrection. Keith
He has no plans. He recently had to layoff 30 people from his campaign headquarters, no money. He had organized a mini military fir his personnel use but many are so put off at his militaristic tactics they quit. I’m sure there’s plenty to take their place. The Proud boys.
It’s all comes back to human nature … until it affects that individual, it’s someone else’s problem. Most likely, none of those you mentioned will ever face climate-related catastrophes (not because they won’t happen, but because they have the means to avoid them), so who cares? Not them.
And they avoid discussions about them because people might actually take note that nothing is being done to deal with them!
Nan, many thanks. I feel the significant insurance premium increase hits a lot of pocketbooks in Florida, so maybe more push back will occur on the ostrich-like stance of the governor. Also, as the sea water encroaches on Miami, a key threat is the fresh water in the Biscayne aquifer, which is guarded by porous limestone. Yet, that will likely be after DeSantis is gone.
Keith
I believe that the religious right will vote for WHOEVER will further their cause. They could be crooks and cheats but they won’t care. trump, desantis, scott, rubio, et al, they know this and they will pander to the people that give them the votes. Floods? Tornados? Hurricanes? Those are just God’s will. Abortion, LGBTQ+ not in the Bible! Not God’s will! I just don’t know how they justify gun violence, racism, etc.
Nancy, thanks. I have a feeling as more and more Floridians are hammered by hurricanes and the residual flooding, it will increase awareness. Seeing one’s insurance premiums go up by 40% or more will likely hit home.
At some point, the deniers cannot hide what is already happening, although they certainly will try. Right now, any Republican who still does not think climate change is not a problem must not be voted for. Full stop. We can no longer wait on them to come around.
Keith
The republicans and their little cult, justify it because they don’t care. If alot of people, often poor and minorities, kill themselves off or reduce their numbers through gun violence, it’s all to their advantage…less people..more for them
Mary, I agree it is more of a cult with this loyalty pledge for candidates and required acquiescence to the election lies, meddling and seditious acts of the former president. Keith
“Miami, the most at risk city in the world”
Just wondering if you checked your facts before making such a American-centric statement, Keith. It was easy for me to check. Jakarta is scientifically the most “at risk” city in the world. Read https://www.google.com/search?q=what+city+is+most+affected+by+climate+change&client=tablet-android-samsung-rev2&source=android-home&source=hp&ei=1ye0ZJ-dL7ya0PEP7YWnwAE&oq=cities+at+risk+due+to+climate+change&gs_lp=EhFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocCIkY2l0aWVzIGF0IHJpc2sgZHVlIHRvIGNsaW1hdGUgY2hhbmdlKgIIAjIGEAAYFhgeMggQABiKBRiGAzIIEAAYigUYhgMyCBAAGIoFGIYDMggQABiKBRiGAzIFECEYoAEyCBAhGBYYHhgdSLzRAVCIFVjmmgFwAXgAkAEAmAHWAqABnD2qAQkwLjEwLjI1LjG4AQHIAQD4AQGoAg_CAgoQABgDGI8BGOoCwgIKEC4YAxiPARjqAsICERAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAggQABiABBixA8ICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIFEC4YgATCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCBAuGLEDGIAEwgILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwHCAg4QLhiABBixAxjHARivAcICCxAAGIAEGLEDGMkDwgIIEAAYigUYkgPCAgUQABiABMICCBAAGIAEGMkDwgIHEAAYgAQYCsICBBAhGBXCAggQABgIGB4YDcICBxAhGKABGAo&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp (Wow! Whoever wrote that web address is not suffering from shortness of breath!) 😇
In fact, Miami is not even in the top 5 at risk cities in the world. Check out this site: https://citymonitor.ai/environment/climate-change-environment/cities-most-affected-by-climate-change.
But at least Miami does appear to be the most “at risk” city in the USA. (Or maybe Donald Trump is the most stable genius in the world.)
But the rest of your post I do agree with. Your four ostriches (Sorry ostriches, but you do tend to bury your heads in the sand, I saw it on National Geographic!) seem to think if they ignore it, it will go away. And everyone who votes for them wants them to be right.
The Intelligence Quotient of many Floridians is already suspect, so why are they hampering the learning ability of their youth? An observer might think Florida would like to revive the Spanish Inquisition. Stop progress in its tracks! Maybe the dinosaurs will reign over the world again!
Rawgod, thanks for your comment. I was citing a Swedish and an American climate scientists whose assertions are based on the economic value of the risk, not just the likelihood. You are totally correct other cities have higher probability of risk and some have already been impacted like the Bangladesh fishing villages.
Miami is the center of a significant amount of trade and business with numerous multi-national companies locating their Americas based management there. This was not meant to to be a US centric observation. I should have been more specific about my reference and noted its source. My bad. Note I did modify my reference to “one of the most at risk cities in the world.”
Thanks for your well-thought comment. Keith
Thank you for the modificstion.
You are welcome.
The edge of the cliff does have a tendency to grab your attention. I see your halo Keith. 🙂
Many thanks. You are much too kind.
I have a very long way to catch-up to you my friend 🙂 I still break fragile objects due to mis-handeling.
All I can say is thank goodness for delete, backspace and undo buttons. And, of course, old fashioned erasers. Keith
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thanks for the news, Keith! Enjoy your week! xx Michael
Michael, thanks for your kind words and the reblog. Keith
I am guessing there are substantial number of folk in Florida who do take their Bible literally, in which case they should be musing over Matthew 7 26-27.
“26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
But I suppose they would tell me I am quoting out of context.
The thing is when it comes down to Humanity’s place in the scheme of things Nature always has the last say in these matters. That’s how the world was built.
Roger, great example. Sidebar – there is a good movie with Richard Gere and Diane Lane called “Nights in Rodanthe.” The movie featured a home built on Rodanthe Island literally on the sand. When my wife and I saw this, we both said that house won’t be there long. Within a five years, the ocean tides had destroyed the house.
Your biblical reference was not only metaphorical, it was an example of what not to do. There is British show we watch called “Fantasy Homes by the Sea.” If they wait enough years, they may be homes in their fantasy as they wash away without insurance. Keith
Thanks Keith.
I’ve not heard of that film, we would have reached the same conclusion. That aside the plot sounds very heartfelt and worth a watch.
That documentary would underline one of the issues of living on coasts, particularly island coast, that being erosion. There are regular news items on the subject, entire communities are vanishing, slowly.
Whether that has anything to do with the current climate crisis or is just part of a long range dynamics if our Isles is another topic.
Dunwich now a small village in Suffolk is one example. Once a thriving town and port it suffered from storms and subsequent erosion in the late 13th Century, most of that town now lies beneath the waves,
Roger, thanks. Our inability to control shore erosion should be lesson #1 that we cannot handle rising sea levels. We have the same erosion problem here, where battling is basically moving sand,
The better answer to erosion and a good answer to carbon diffusing is let the mangroves near the sea water flourish. They eat carbon and the houses are back away from the sand.
Keith
Looking to vegetation to absorb carbon should come with a HUGE caveat: look to the Canadian forest fires to understand why it’s important to grasp that we’re looking at carbon storage… storage that can just as easily release – and in vast quantity – the carbon when conditions are met. This is just as true for mangroves.
Trying to control local shore erosion – also the case for river erosion – is called a ‘downstream’ problem, meaning that hardening one part simply shifts erosion farther along but actually amplifies it. Yes, local erosion rates can be reduced but at the cost of passing along the additional energy downstream (or down current) which increases that local rate of erosion. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak.
Because the problem of sea level rise is caused by the burning of fossil fuels, any ‘solution’ that doesn’t address this cause isn’t treating the problem; it’s trying to mitigate the symptoms. This approach – be it in medicine or economics or climate change – is doomed from the start if one wishes to address the problem. We can spend gobs of money and untold hours of labor using vast quantities of fossil fuels to treat symptoms but none of this should be seen as a solution because it only adds to rather than addresses the problem.
Tildeb, no question that we have to stop putting carbon in the air. Full stop. But, we also need to look to take carbon out of the air. This is a reason I love the documentary “Ice on Fire,” which speaks to in terms of both goals. We need major movements on both fronts as we must deploy an all hands on deck to this truly burning platform. The same is true with our renewable energy solutions focus on what energy sources can be produced in abundance in a given area – wind and tidal energy in the North Sea, Wind and solar in Texas, eg.
Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated. Keith
Address the disease, the symptoms will eventually take care of themselves. But, yes, there is much that can be done to help that process along. Such help, however, is not essential; the planetary biological, chemical, and physical systems will do that as long as we don’t reach any tipping points, forced feedbacks, or negative cascading effects. That’s not to say there won’t be significant and ongoing impacts from what we have done to the chemistry of our atmosphere already but over several centuries of low carbon emissions (well below equilibrium) the planet will return ‘naturally’ to preindustrial climate norms (still variable, of course). What we will have to endure in the meantime is significant disruption and necessary adaptation.
For example, once the ice shelves of eastern Antarctica now acting as corks to waiting ice sheets dissolve (as they are doing) sea level rise will dwarf even the most ambitious mitigation plans. In other words, living within 25 meters of height to sea level today isn’t just silly; it’s foolish. Even 50 meters (knowing the west sheets are ~4 meters of rise and Greenland ~7) is risky knowing that the world cannot even achieve keeping emissions from rising year over year in 2023. That must be the very first order of business.
On an individual level, plan. Help the next generation prepare by teaching them how to learn about reality and how to adapt to it and how to find opportunities within the changes that are coming. Vote today on behalf of what you think will best serve your grandchildren and, if that’s not part of a platform today, then find one where it is. We all have a part to play no matter how much doom and gloom one buys into so we might as well make it count.