Leftist Public Citizen targets Florida media for NOT linking heat to global warming

Founded by Ralph Nader in the 1970s, Public Citizen is a leftist lobbying group and now is taking aim at Florida’s media for not focusing on global warming while covering the weather in Florida.

“While Florida newspapers frequently are noting the connection to climate change when reporting on rising sea levels, far fewer outlets are making the same connection when discussing extreme heat,” says the lobby group in a statement, linking to their new report.

The Union of Concerned Scientists notes that “Weather is what’s happening outside the door right now; today a thunderstorm is approaching. Climate, on the other hand, is the pattern of weather measured over a number of decades.”

This is something which would apply during a summer heat wave or a winter snowstorm.

The Public Citizen is more concerned with politics, mentioning Donald Trump several times in their report, bashing the President for exiting the Paris accord, making vague links to hurricane activity and the climate as well as taking shots at exiting Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

“On our current greenhouse gas pollution pathway, rising temperatures could hurt Florida sooner and more severely than rising seas,” said David Arkush, managing director of Public Citizen’s Climate Program. “Many Florida newspapers have been missing this story even while doing some great reporting on sea levels. You need a wider lens to capture all of the climate-related harms endangering the Sunshine State.”

A wider lens may also be needed to point out all of the contradicting data which points to less warming and less hysteria.

There are not more hurricanes now than in 1978 (not how flat the lines are) HERE

So in 20 years, there is a marginal increase in temps HERE

What are the solutions from Robert Weissman on the team at Public Citizen?

From his bio page: “Weissman also has expanded Public Citizen’s work to curb climate change and push for a single-payer, Medicare-for-all health care system.”

Yes, the Bernie Sanders plan. As the group moved farther left, it’s no surprise they abandoned Nader, because it’s more about fighting Trump: “With President Donald Trump in office, our work is more urgent than ever. We are one of the leading voices calling for Trump to divest from his business interests, highlighting his conflicts of interest and fighting his destructive agenda.”

photo/ Pete Linforth

Here’s the full statement from Public Citizen:

While Florida newspapers frequently are noting the connection to climate change when reporting on rising sea levels, far fewer outlets are making the same connection when discussing extreme heat, according to a new report (PDF) by Public Citizen.

Between January 2017 and October 2018, Florida newspapers published 2,161 articles mentioning sea level rise. About 57 percent of those articles mentioned climate change, the report found. However, during the same 22-month period, of the 785 articles that covered extreme heat, only 22 percent mentioned climate change.

Additionally, over half of the articles that mentioned heat and climate change were not primarily about heat or record temperatures.

Extreme heat is a major environmental and health issue for the Sunshine State. About 94 percent of Florida’s population – more than 18 million people – live in areas that recorded extreme heat days over the past 10 years. The state sees the highest number of heat stress hospitalizations in the nation – more than 1,100 per year. A report (PDF) published last month by Public Citizen and the Farmworker Association of Florida found that outdoor workers in Florida routinely work in dangerously hot conditions.

Due to global warming, these problems are growing worse.

“On our current greenhouse gas pollution pathway, rising temperatures could hurt Florida sooner and more severely than rising seas,” said David Arkush, managing director of Public Citizen’s Climate Program. “Many Florida newspapers have been missing this story even while doing some great reporting on sea levels. You need a wider lens to capture all of the climate-related harms endangering the Sunshine State.”

In a sign of progress, the Miami Herald, the Sun-Sentinel and The Palm Beach Post formed an alliance in May to raise awareness about the threat from sea level rise during the recent midterm election season. Public Citizen’s report demonstrates more can be done to communicate the threat of extreme heat along with sea level rise.