Ten scientists say they are happy to offer a tutorial on climate change to Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who has said he hasn't been able to acknowledge the phenomenon because he's "not a scientist."
"We note you have been asked several times about how, as governor, you will handle the issue of climate change. We are scientists, and we would like the opportunity to explain what is at stake for our state" according to their 2-page letter to the Republican governor on Tuesday, which was reported by the
Tampa Bay Times.
"Florida is one of the most vulnerable places in the country with respect to climate change, with southeastern Florida of particular concern," the scientists told Scott.
"This is not a hypothetical," the Florida experts wrote, according to the Times. "Thousands of scientists have studied the issue from a variety of angles and disciplines over many decades. Those of us signing this letter have spent hundreds of years combined studying this problem, not from any partisan political perspective, but as scientists — seekers of evidence and explanations."
Scott, who is a climate change skeptic but in a tight re-election bid against former Gov. Charlie Crist, on Wednesday in a statement said he welcomes their briefing,
The Hill reported.
The governor said he was "focused on solutions we can implement to protect our land, water and families."
"We have made environmental restoration a top priority — investing record amounts in the Everglades and Springs projects all across Florida, even many that were not prioritized by the previous administration," he said.
Scott touted his record on the environment in his March state of the state speech, saying his administration had spent "record funding in protecting our environment" — an accomplishment that was investigated and determined to be false by the website
PolitiFact.com.
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