Climate Change Requires Comprehensive Public Policy and Education to Protect Floridians
Summary:  The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) resolves to support public policy and education that 
connects reversing climate change with serving the full range of Democratic goals and values.

WHEREAS, scientists agree that climate is changing and that human civilization is largely responsible for the 
current changes through the burning of fossil fuels and the release of other greenhouse gases;
And WHEREAS greenhouse gas emissions and climate change are causing the melting of ice sheets, the 
warming of oceans, the rise of sea level, the acidification of oceans, the increasing strength, frequency, and 
duration of many weather-related disasters across the globe, but especially in coastal states like Florida, 
the intrusion of salt water into coastal aquifers, and the migration northward of biomes and tropical 
diseases and other deleterious effects;
And WHEREAS climate change associated sea level rise and precipitation changes increase the frequency of 
flooding in coastal areas, lowers water quality, damages economic stability, hurts agriculture and tourism-
related employment, lowers real estate values, drives economic impacts related to health, infrastructure, 
insurance, electricity, water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems, forces human migration and 
immigration, and can make chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and asthma, deadlier;
And WHEREAS vulnerable populations including those with low incomes, some communities of color, 
immigrant groups, Indigenous peoples, children and pregnant women, older adults, vulnerable 
occupational groups, persons with disabilities, and persons with preexisting or chronic medical conditions 
suffer disproportionately from climate change impacts, are more at risk for displacement, suffer 
disproportionately from climate economic impacts related to health, infrastructure, electricity, water 
resources, agriculture, and ecosystems, are most at risk for displacement, and are the targets of violence, 
especially in times of climatic stress;
And WHEREAS climate change topics have been ignored or actively denied in the past and are neither 
adequately covered in Florida schools, nor adequately discussed by local and state governments;
And WHEREAS the socioeconomic impact of doing nothing is too great to bear, both in dollars and human 
struggle;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the FDP views climate change not as a single issue but rather as an umbrella 
issue under which the full range of Democratic priorities and values can and must be advanced in order to 
preserve humanity. Therefore FDP hereby supports a comprehensive and integrated public policy initiative 
that reflects the needs of communities affected by and at risk due to climate change. 
And be it further RESOLVED that appropriate curriculum regarding climate science, prevention of global 
warming, mitigation of potential damage, adaptation to rising sea levels and the possible need for 
evacuation and migration will be  incorporated into State Standards for every grade level from elementary 
through high school;
And be it further RESOLVED that classroom and science teachers throughout Florida will be trained in 
climate science so that they can adequately respond to citizen inquiries on these topics.
And be it further RESOLVED that FDP commits to support public policy that recognizes climate change is 
the reality of all Floridians and will encourage Democratic representatives to consider how climate change 
mitigation and adaptation can be incorporated into state legislation, including the transition of electric 
utilities to 100% renewable energy by 2035 and develop a state-level program to support the carbon fee & 
dividend concept.