Scott, scientists sit down to talk climate change

Gov. Rick Scott will meet this afternoon with state university scientists — including Florida State professor Jeff Chanton — who are eager to enlighten him about the impacts of climate change on the state.

Scott agreed to meet with the oceanography, marine and atmospheric scientists after 10 of them penned a letter in July seeking an audience with the Republican governor. The letter noted that while on the campaign trail this year, Scott sidestepped questions about he would handle global warming and climate change by saying he was "not a scientist."

"We are scientists," the letter said, "and we would like the opportunity to explain what is at stake for our state."

Scott, who has expressed doubts about the connection between human actions and global warming, initially deflected the idea. But his likely Democratic challenger, former Gov. Charlie Crist, a self-proclaimed "believer" in climate change, swiftly agreed to attend a presentation by Chanton last month and used the opportunity to contrast the candidates' positions on the issue.

Scott's campaign derided Crist's move as a publicity stunt. On Tuesday morning, hours before the planned 4:30 p.m. meeting with the university scientists, Scott's campaign sent out a press release with glowing reviews of Scott's environmental leadership and new environmental plan, "Let's Keep Florida Beautiful" by former Crist appointees.

At the meeting, the scientists showed Scott evidence that human activities have dramatically changed the composition of the atmosphere since the preindustrial era, causing spikes carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, which cause global warming. The warming has caused sea levels to rise, causing climate change and increased threats to coastal communities. Scott was shown sobering projection maps of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, which under one possible scenario, put more than half of the land under water in 100 years.

Chanton said the issue of climate change and its dire consequences has been obfuscated by fossil fuel companies who are resistant to changing their energy strategies. Florida, he said, should take a leading role.

"If not Florida, who?" We have to take the lead in this because we can't depend on outside leadership," he said. "I would just like the Governor to believe there is a problem and to start addressing it."

David Hastings, professor or marine science and chemistry at Eckerd College, said the situation can be improved with switching from coal-burning power to solar and other alternative energy sources.

"The challenge is it take time and we don't have a lot of time," he said. "Things have to change and this is how they change."

He said the state needs to chart a course for meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards that call for Florida to develop a plan within a year to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 38 percent in 15 years.

"I want the Governor's Office to set up a transparent process to develop the plan," Hastings said. "He's not been talking about it, he's really been avoiding it."