The Heat Is on to Elect a Climate Champion in Florida

Leaving home on a south Florida summer day, we’re typically greeted with a wall of hot, humid air. We Floridians are quite familiar with long and languorous summertime mornings, oftentimes followed by afternoon thunderstorms. Summertime is also accompanied by the possibility of a hurricane–something we’re witnessing again right now in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

So far, we’ve usually responded by spending fistfuls of money on air conditioning to cool inside spaces, avoiding the midday sun if we can, and getting out of town for cooler climes if we have the means. Such aspects of life in the Sunshine State are the trade-off for basking in the abundant sunshine, warm temperatures, and tropical landscape of our so-called “winter.”

But it’s getting harder than ever to enjoy the summer outdoors. And summer is only getting longer.

If we want to protect the great outdoors in our state—and, even more so, protect those communities most vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change impacts—the stakes of this election are clear.

The number of heat advisories we’ve had the last few years seems endless. Those should be raising red flags for even the most adamant climate deniers. The heat is not going away. If anything, it’s going to get worse. And it threatens our health and well-being in the process.

For example, WPTV reported that “Palm Beach County projects that by 2040, we’ll see between 35 and 49 days with highs over 95°F in a year. By 2070, that number could be between 81 and 112 days, according to the county’s projections.”

A recent story in The Washington Post described a possible nightmare scenario, where a hurricane knocks out power for 48 hours in the midst of a heatwave. The suffering and health emergencies in such an instance would be dramatic and especially impactful for the economically distressed and elderly. South Floridians experienced a similar such scenario in 2017 during Hurricane Irma, when the power failed at a nursing home in Hollywood and nine residents died when inside temperatures soared. The reality of the climate crisis means that, sadly, this won’t be the last time we experience such tragedies.

Reducing the likelihood of hot days and other climate change impacts is an existential challenge for the state of Florida if it hopes to protect the safety of its citizens. And it is why we need to elect climate champions this November who can address the root causes of climate change—greenhouse gas emissions—and guide us to a more livable future.

The tightening U.S. Senate race in Florida, between Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Rick Scott, features candidates who take very different views of climate change and how to address it. The Senate majority, and with it, the future of climate change investments funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, could very well be decided by this race. The IRA is supercharging the transition to clean energy. The choice for south Floridians should be clear if we want to slow the climate threat.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is a dedicated climate champion. Time and time again, she has shown herself willing to address both climate adaptation—repairing and preventing climate change caused damage—and mitigation—reducing the sources of greenhouse gas emissions. She has been characterized as a “leading freshman voice on environmental issues, especially water policy” during her time in the House of Representatives, where she introduced legislation to protect coral reefs and secure annual funding for restoration of the Everglades. She also unveiled a report in fall 2020 with fellow House of Representative members Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) about how climate action will bring important health and economic benefits to the Sunshine State. If elected to the Senate, her consistent, dedicated support for both climate adaptation and mitigation actions will help Florida and the nation move toward a more livable, resilient future.

As governor, Scott reportedly nixed the mere mention of “climate change.” In recent years, he has acknowledged that climate change is real, but he has opposed important climate change mitigation measures, such as the Green New Deal and the Inflation Reduction Act. Egregiously, now-Senator Scott did not sign onto a letter in 2023 calling on the Biden administration to implement an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) workplace federal heat standard—which would have helped workers cope with the heat while on the job. He is willing to help fund particular impact remedies such as beach renourishment and even Everglades restoration, but adaptation measures alone are not sufficient for slowing the source of the problem. Senator Scott remains unwilling to support the kind of clean energy legislation that is absolutely necessary to put our state on a better path when it comes to climate.

As a hiker, biker, and gardener, I love Florida’s outdoors. If we want to protect the great outdoors in our state—and, even more so, protect those communities most vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change impacts—the stakes of this election are clear. We cannot miss the chance to move our state toward a future that takes climate action seriously.