Latino voters worry about our planet as it increasingly warms
Floridians are once again preparing for the start of hurricane season, which begins June 1.
The impending date, coupled with a rise in temperatures and an increasingly warmer climate, is not only affecting the force and frequency of hurricanes but accelerating sea-level rise, along with detrimental impacts of wildlife and human health.
In Florida these extreme weather events over the past several years have damaged homes, increased home insurance premiums and boosted electricity bills, threatening the overall quality of life for residents in the Sunshine State. This positions climate change to be a defining issue in the 2022 midterm elections.
A recent survey commissioned by Dream Corps Green For All of newly registered Latino voters in MiamiDade, Orange, and Osceola counties determined that Latino voters in these counties are highly concerned about the impacts of climate change, specifically the economic impacts of extreme heat, hurricanes and limited access to renewable energy.
Among Latino voters who participated in the survey, 68% noted extreme weather-related events, such as excessive heat and hurricanes, as their top climate concern, regardless of a political party, while 56% worried about not being able to afford the financial burden of increased energy consumption and 62% want elected officials to invest in clean, renewable energy.
Recently, Florida’s Republican-controlled state legislature has made some significant investments to mitigate the rise of sea levels and flooding all while denying Floridians the freedom to pursue renewable resources independently (through a bill Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed) and delaying the insurance crisis that is financially strangling homeowners until last week’s special session.
This latest onslaught of bad policies and inaction highlights their ineptitude in leading any “real” agenda by pedaling fake crises and pretending that Florida is not racing toward a climate crisis.
For communities of color, specifically
Black and Latino families, the stakes are much higher. Research shows that racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S., particularly Latinos, reside in states with the highest levels of climate change threats, such as air pollution, extreme heat and flooding.
Any weather event can wipe out their homes, limit their finances or leave them unemployed at any moment.
Nationally, a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, shows that 8 in 10 U.S. Hispanics say addressing global climate change is a top concern to them personally. With many Latinos living in coastal states such as Florida, 71% say climate change is affecting their local communities, including 52% of Latino Republicans.
Issues noted included too much garbage, air pollution, pollution of lakes, rivers and streams, safety of drinking water, and lack of parks and greenspace, signaling that their understanding of climate change goes far beyond sea-level rise and that they recognize its impact on their day-to-day life and their immediate surroundings.
Climate change is an issue that affects us all. It breaks global boundaries and crosses party lines. If we are going to have a chance to truly address the crisis’ consequences, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to implement solutions that protect our states, our neighborhoods and our homes.
How we prepare or how we respond to a scorching summer or devastating hurricane season is sure to tip the scales for an already-skeptical and worried electorate. The message from Latino voters across the country and in Florida is clear: The need to address climate change is now.
And with more than 2.5 million registered Florida Latino voters, they will once again be a decisive vote in this year’s midterm elections. Ignore them at your own peril.