Floridians believe global warming will have dangerous impacts on the state

June 24, 2008

[B]Residents want government to do more to address climate change[/B]
A new survey of Floridians finds that most are convinced that global warming is happening now and that more should be done by key leaders to help Florida deal with climate change. The survey is the first-ever study of Floridians' opinions about global warming and was conducted by researchers at Yale University and the University of Miami, with funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation.

A survey of 1,077 adults in Florida from May 1, 2008 to May 19, 2008 was fielded by Knowledge Networks, using a representative, online research panel. The survey's key findings include:

-- A majority of Floridians are convinced that global warming is happening (71%) and that global warming is caused mainly by human activities (55%), or caused equally by humans and natural changes (13%).

-- 65 percent believe that global warming is already having or will have dangerous impacts on people in Florida within the next 10 years.

-- 69 percent believe that parts of the state's coasts may need to be abandoned due to rising sea levels over the next 50 years.

Likewise, large majorities believe that global warming will cause worse storms, hurricanes and tornadoes (80%), droughts and water shortages (80%), flooding of major cities (68%), food shortages (68%), less tourism (64%), and increased rates of disease (57%).

"Floridians believe global warming will have serious consequences here at home and are growing increasingly concerned about the issue," said Dr. Kenny Broad, associate professor at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

In line with these concerns, large majorities support state policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even if these policies impact their own pocketbook. For example:

-- 65 percent support requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20% of their electricity from wind, solar or other renewable energy sources, even it if costs the average household an extra $100 per year.

-- 65 percent support a state subsidy to encourage building owners to replace old water heaters, air conditioners, light bulbs, and insulation, even if it cost the average household $5 a month in higher taxes.

-- 63 percent support the installation of solar panels on state-owned buildings, even if the electricity generated is significantly more expensive than what state government normally pays for its electricity.

"Large majorities of Floridians want Governor Crist, their state legislators, and their own mayors to do more to address global warming," said Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, Director of the Yale Project on Climate Change at Yale University. "Many Floridians also say they are willing to act individually to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Source: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science


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  • p1ll - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 2.9 / 5 (15)
    what a farce.
  • thinking - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 3.2 / 5 (11)
    hummmm this stinks of some fishy stats....Though I wouldn't dismiss it, it does sound a lot like the stats used to prove man made climate change.
  • Glis - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 2.8 / 5 (13)
    1. A warmer global temperature does not lead to worse storms. A greater DIFFERENCE in temperature between masses does, which greenhouse induced global warming decreases.
    2. Droughts/water shortages AND flooding... it's one or the other, probably neither.
    3. Food Shortages - How?
    4. Decreased Tourism - Gas Prices, humidity and your wierd laws should have taken care of that already.
    5. Diseases - Agreed. Hotter changing climate, more bugs moving to new places...

    Either way, I tend not to take scientific advice from retirees with vested interests.
  • Corvidae - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 3.3 / 5 (11)
    The thing to realize is that a large portion of Florida's population is in the tri-county area of Miami/Dade-Broward/Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach. Which means a large portion of the population was recently pimp slapped by multiple hurricanes within the past few years.

    When a lot of people's homes get blown down, washed away or otherwise destroyed, people starting thinking "hmm, maybe we should do something about this." And given a few weeks without electricity, lots of folks get time to think about it.
  • Doug_Huffman - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 2.8 / 5 (9)
    'Decreased tourism,' now that's a weirdly self-fulfilling prophesy. The tourists that did not go home are enough to keep this sometimes tourist away.

    Vested retirees aren't Delphic oracles, just marketeers.
  • Corvidae - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 3.3 / 5 (16)
    Glis
    1) Higher temperatures affect heat transport, in any case where heat transport through water is slowed, heat transfer through the atmosphere will increase. Causing larger storms.
    2) Actually it's both, rain patterns move to new areas that didn't used to get as much rain, causing flooding. The area where that rain would have fallen enters a drought.
    3) Changes in rainfall cause crop failure. Migration of insects to new area's also cause crop failures, either in the crops they eat or the crops they are no longer pollinating.
  • NeilFarbstein - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 2.8 / 5 (12)
    The government should be spending more on energy research. Bush has been speaking out of both sides of his mouth. He told everyone that the green house is real and that spending should be increased on renewable energy projects then at budget writing time he cut out all of the increases he called for. Don't believe the private sector can end the greenhouse problem fast enough to make a difference. There has to be government sponsored research to get the job done on time. A too little too late situation might wreck our economy and cause wars bigger than the Iraq conflict.

    http:governorfarbstein.tripod.com
  • Glis - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 3.3 / 5 (10)
    Glis
    1) Higher temperatures affect heat transport, in any case where heat transport through water is slowed, heat transfer through the atmosphere will increase. Causing larger storms.
    2) Actually it's both, rain patterns move to new areas that didn't used to get as much rain, causing flooding. The area where that rain would have fallen enters a drought.
    3) Changes in rainfall cause crop failure. Migration of insects to new area's also cause crop failures, either in the crops they eat or the crops they are no longer pollinating.

    1) No. "Since the 1940s the National Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory has documented a decrease in both the intensity and number of hurricanes." It seems like there are more because of population density increases at the coasts.
    2) Modern Irrigation. If it's raining more in one place and less in another you provide a way to move that water around. Dry areas prone to infrequent heavy rains have been doing it for a long time.
    3)Warmer more CO2 will make stronger crops, if not, modern pesticides / new crops.

    We need to start adapting to our environment instead of trying to adapt the environment to us.

  • Shootist - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 3.6 / 5 (7)
    Not this Floridian.

    Sine qua non.
  • Corvidae - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 2.6 / 5 (8)
  • NeilFarbstein - Jun 24, 2008
    • Rank: 2.1 / 5 (9)
    In the past few years Florida has been hit with record numbers of hurricanes.
  • Egnite - Jun 25, 2008
    • Rank: 2.9 / 5 (8)
    These poor Floridians have to blame something, that's what the american leaders teach you aint it? After watchin the series of Michael Moore films, I have no respect for any "scientific research" that comes from you. These "scientists" are nothing but greedy sell-out puppets of the money driven politicians, imo ofc. I guess Florida are the most gullable then?
  • photojack - Jun 25, 2008
    • Rank: 3 / 5 (8)
    I agree with the statistics and polling methods they used. It all makes sense, except that those poor Floridians vote for Republicans who are the last people to help the environment and are too corrupt to care. How many top-level Republicans have fallen from grace, resigned or been convicted of criminal offenses and corruption?
    Floridians need to move to higher ground soon!
  • Mercury_01 - Jun 25, 2008
    • Rank: 3.7 / 5 (6)
    Floridians have the most to loose. Youd be concerned too if your whole damned state was 6 feet above sea level. Remember those facts on arctic and antarctic sea ice, the gulfstream, and greenland glaciers? thats no bullshit. If it continues to melt like it is, ocean currents will change, causing more meltwater and releasing more co2. I dont think you have to be on anybody's side to realize that. There are billions more tons of co2 locked in permafrost and ice all over the world right now, and entire forests are sinking into huge mud pits on the tundra. Await your extinction.
  • GrayMouser - Sep 07, 2008
    • Rank: not rated yet
    ... It all makes sense, except that those poor Floridians vote for Republicans who are the last people to help the environment and are too corrupt to care. How many top-level Republicans have fallen from grace, resigned or been convicted of criminal offenses and corruption?


    And the Democrats are any different? I think not.
  • Corvidae - Dec 02, 2008
    • Rank: not rated yet
    Floridians have the most to loose. Youd be concerned too if your whole damned state was 6 feet above sea level.

    I'd need a ladder to get six feet above sea level. So would a lot of other people in South FL.
    And the Democrats are any different? I think not.

    Republicans have money scandals, Democrats have sex scandals. Of the two it's easier to keep my wife away from Congress than it is to keep Congress out of my wallet. Corruption of some sort will never go away, so you may as well chose the one you can live with.

June 24, 2008 all stories

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