Latest findings from Florida Centre for Investigative Reporting reveals that officials are accountable for making certain that Florida is ready to act in response to the earth’s changing climate are banned from using terms such as “global warming” and “climate change” in official communications like emails and reports.
Kristina Trotta, a former Florida Department of Environmental Protection employee, said “We were told that we were not allowed to discuss anything that was not a true fact.”
An ex-employee also adds, “We were dealing with the effects and economic impact of climate change, and yet we can’t reference it.”
Climate change is a big issue in Florida and just last year Miami was listed as one of the most vulnerable cities to be affected by rising sea levels by the National Climate Assessment.
A warning has also been presented by a Southeast Florida Regional Climate Compact paper that the water level in the region could go up by almost 2 feet by 2060.
Republican Rick Scott, the state’s governor has been frustrating researchers by keeping a low profile on the issue.
Last year, a reporter questioned Scott whether man-made climate change “is significantly affecting the weather, the climate.” Scott deliberately steered the subject in a different direction by replying, “Well, I’m not a scientist.”
In 2010, Scott was questioned whether he believed in climate change and his reply was “No.”
5 climatologists held a meeting with Scott in August, requesting him to protect the state from the increasing sea levels.
This policy against being barred from using the term “global warming” became effectual ever since Scott was appointed for office in 2011 and took in Herschel Vinyard Jr. as the agency’s director, according to the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
A counsel with the state Department of Environmental Protection, Christopher Byrd stated that he first heard of this policy in 2011 at a staff meeting.
“Deputy General Counsel Larry Morgan was giving us a briefing on what to expect with the new secretary,” Byrd recalled, saying he gave them “a warning to beware of the words global warming, climate change and sea-level rise, and advised us not to use those words in particular.”
“I did infer from this meeting that this was a new policy, that these words were to be prohibited for use from official DEP policy-making with our clients,” he added.
The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting was informed by the agency’s press secretary that “DEP does not have a policy on this.” The governor’s office also correspondingly said, “There’s no policy on this.”