College students have grown up in a time when climate change is at the forefront of public debate. Symptoms of climate change have been normalized, especially for those of us who live in the capricious conditions of South Florida.
We adjust our plans when extreme weather systems cancel classes and force us inland for days. We barely bat an eye when we see reports of flash flooding in Miami Beach. As policies begin to reflect the urgency of these increasingly erratic weather patterns, policy makers need to recognize their causes rather than focus on damage control.
Governor DeSantis’ recently announced funding through the Resilient Florida Grants Program to “help prepare coastal and inland communities for the adverse effects of flooding and storm surges” addresses the effects of climate change without tackling to cause. A Miami Herald reporter asked when the state would address the root cause of climate change, but DeSantis didn’t answer the question and pointedly avoided blaming rising water levels on climate change. human origin.
The 113 funded projects will install new stormwater pumps and drains in flood-prone cities, convert septic tanks to sewer lines, and elevate and protect buildings from flooding across Florida over the next three years.
Miami-Dade County alone accounted for $160 million and 35 projects that will both improve flood protection and help the county replace failing technology made worse by rising water levels. the sea. These projects will help protect affected communities and are needed to repair infrastructure already damaged by these weather events, but do little to address the source of the damage.
Scientists say there could be another sea level rise of 6 inches by 2030 and 2 feet by 2060. A sea level rise of five to six feet by 2100 is possible and would be catastrophic, physically displacing some 800,000 residents of Miami-Dade County and leaving much of the city uninhabitable.
South Florida’s “resilience” has reached a breaking point. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the increasing rate of sea level rise is caused by vehicles, industry and agricultural pollution, which are raising temperatures, causing ocean water to expand and the melting of glaciers.
If legislation continues to recognize the symptoms of climate change, such as sea level rise, without acknowledging the cause (greenhouse gas emissions), these symptoms will continue to negatively impact our communities. Eventually, attempts to make Florida more resilient will be futile, just as putting a bandage on a wound doesn’t stop it from bleeding.
DeSantis said in 2018 that he doesn’t know if human activity is causing sea levels to rise, but he knows it is happening. Regardless of his views on climate change, he worries that higher water levels are currently impacting and will further affect people’s lives and the health of Florida’s economy.
Without measures to protect South Florida from flooding, DeSantis expressed concern that businesses might want to relocate or open in South Florida. His solution to this is resilience.
Prospective business owners and those looking to expand who are worried about flooding in Miami may believe that human pollution is a cause of sea level rise. self that DeSantis can better attract their entrepreneurial spirit through a policy aimed at mitigating carbon emissions. Whether or not he thinks climate change is responsible for sea level rise.
Florida needs a hard line on carbon emissions. Introducing measures such as cap and trade, such as to limit company emissions while allowing companies to buy allowances from one another if they wish to exceed, would be a good place to start.
The state must set a timetable for reducing dependence on fossil fuels. DeSantis is expected to push for a combination of restrictions and incentives, forcing polluters to meet specific standards and providing benefits for those who exceed them.
Koch Industries, known for its energy manufacturing and political involvement, is among the governor’s top ten contributors, with donations ranging from 2012 to 2018, the first three of which came during DeSantis’ runs for Congress. The Miami Herald noted in 2015 that former Florida Governor Rick Scott, known for abandoning sustainability measures implemented by his predecessor, flew to a private retreat hosted by the Koch brothers six months after joining. active.
Political donors will not be the ones driven from their homes by the floods. As for UM students, many of us are beginning to put down roots in the Miami area. Policy decisions like this will affect us directly, and as stated in the government’s 2018 National Climate Assessment, “future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today”.
