Stmt to White House Listening Session

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION LISTENING SESSION ________________________________ UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL OF MARINE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida September 15, 2006 10:00 a.m. MODERATED BY: MONICA LINNENBRINK D.J. CASE & ASSOCIATES 317 E. Jefferson Blvd. Mishawaka, Indiana 46545 (574)258-0100 MR. HEIMLICH: Thank you. MS. LINNENBRINK: You're welcome. MR. HEIMLICH: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Barry Heimlich. I'm the Vice President of the Broward County Audubon Society, a volunteer organization with 1500 members. MS. LINNENBRINK: Can you spell your last name, please. MR. HEIMLICH: It's H-E-I-M-L-I-C-H. Like the Heimlich Maneuver. MS. LINNENBRINK: Thank you. MR. HEIMLICH: I'm a chemical engineer and retired executive from the pharmaceutical and petroleum industries. I'm also the Director of the Smart Growth Partnership for Southeast Florida. The dispute is over. Scientists overwhelmingly agree that the greenhouse gasses cause global warming. And recent studies indicate that global warming is the primary reason why major hurricanes have doubled since 1970. After the hurricane season of 2004 and '05, it's not surprising that South Floridians worry about a Category 3 or 4 storm. What you may not realize is how badly this fear is affecting Florida's economy today. Commercial and residential real estate sales are plummeting because skyrocketing property insurance rates. Out-of-state businesses are questioning whether or not they can rely on Florida's suppliers. People in businesses from out of state hesitate to relocate to Florida, and some homeowners are being forced to sell and move away because they can't afford insurance premiums that have doubled in the last two years. This map shows (indicating) what South Florida will -- South Florida will be swamped if sea levels rise by 3 feet by 2100 as projected; that includes all of Everglades National Park, the Florida Keys, the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Naples. 7 million people live in this area. If Greenland ice sheets slide into the sea, everything on this map will be red. Florida's in serious trouble and we need Washington's help, and nothing else that anybody's talked about here today matters if we don't deal with this problem. There is no longer time to make excuses and deny what is obvious. Global warming will never be reversed without American leadership. New policies are needed to set tough emission limits, enable trading of emissions credits, and incentivizing American industry to apply its technology and capital to developing carbon-free energy alternatives, such as the Safe Climate Act. Our government must assert leadership with the nations of the world. China and India will not do their part unless America sets the example and takes the lead. It's not too late to sign the Kyoto treaty and follow California's example. Like the industrial and information revolutions, the energy revolution will lead to new prosperity for America. "Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great," said Nelson Mandela last year. Please tell Mr. Bush that this is his opportunity to be great. Thank you.