Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday scoffed at the notion that wild weather like Hurricane Idalia has anything to do with climate change, blasting President Biden and others for claiming it does.
“If you look, there was a storm that happened on almost this exact track in 1896, and it had 125 mph winds like this,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Yankeetown, Fla., when asked about the role of climate change in the ‘deadly cane who has just thrown his state.
“If you look in the state of Florida, the strongest hurricane we’ve ever had … the anniversary is now — it was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935,” the GOP presidential candidate said. “It has winds of 185 mph.
“So, I think sometimes people need to take a breath and get a little perspective here,” added DeSantis, who has long been skeptical of what he describes as “climate change alarmism.”
Ron DeSantis has delayed his presidential campaign schedule to take care of cleanup efforts in Florida after the deadly Hurricane Idalia. AP
NEW: DeSantis blames climate change #Idealsays the strongest storm for Florida was in 1935
“The notion that we’re just adopting left-wing policies at the federal level, that somehow we’re not going to get hurricanes — that’s a lie.” pic.twitter.com/iCOO8nynGD
— Florida Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 4, 2023
Jewell Baggett stands next to Christmas decorations he recovered from the wreckage of his mother’s house that was hit by the hurricane Aug. 30.AP
“The notion that somehow if we just adopt, you know, left-wing policies at the federal level that somehow we’re not going to have hurricanes, that’s a lie,” he said when asked by reporters about climate change warnings issued by Biden and others. others, including many in the scientific community.
“And those are people who are trying to take what’s happening with all kinds of storms and use that as an excuse to advance their agenda on the backs of people who are suffering. And that’s wrong, and we’re not going to do that in the state of Florida,” he said.
DeSantis has put his campaign work on hold to oversee the cleanup of Idalia, which became a Category 4 storm and tore through northern Florida last week, killing at least two in the Sunshine State.
People walk through flooded roads after Hurricane Idalia.AFP via Getty Images
Damage from the storm is estimated to cost between $18 billion and $20 billion, according to AccuWeather’s preliminary analysis.
Biden again raised concerns about climate change two days before his Saturday visit to the state to survey the wreckage.
“There are still some deniers out there in terms of whether or not climate change has anything to do with any of this, and we’re going to need more money,” Biden said.
DeSantis did not accompany Biden on his visit to Florida on Saturday, with his office citing logistical and security concerns.
Ron DeSantis spoke with some of the victims of the storm. Getty Images
Florida’s governor has sought to comfort those devastated by Idalia.AP
Biden has vowed to marshal federal resources for Florida and urged Congress to increase federal disaster relief funding.
Although DeSantis is skeptical about doing the “left-wing thing” to mitigate climate change, he has previously taken steps to shore up Florida’s infrastructure for extreme weather events.
In late 2021, he launched a three-year “Always Prepared Florida” plan to spend about $270 million on statewide projects to combat flooding and other extreme weather phenomena.
Florida has a long history of being hit by hurricanes. AP
When asked Monday about his faith in the federal government to help cleanup efforts, DeSantis outlined the state’s preparations.
“I think the state of Florida, we’re ready for this. We are ready. We answered,” DeSantis replied. “And really, what’s the federal government’s role in just turning on a program that Congress has enacted for years. So it basically serves as a checkbook to get people reimbursed for debris cleanup.
“I expect that to go smoothly, but most of the nuts and bolts are done by our local community and by the state of Florida,” he said. “And that’s how it should be. The disaster response is absolutely below.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
