Chair Castor, Rep. Mucarsel-Powell, Rep. Deutch Unveil New Florida Report On Health Benefits of Climate Action

WASHINGTON (October 20, 2020) - On Tuesday, Chair Kathy Castor (D-FL) of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis joined two of her Florida colleagues - Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Rep. Ted Deutch - to unveil a new report on how climate action will bring important health and economic benefits to the Sunshine State.

The report highlights how keeping global warming in check per the climate accord goals set in 2015 would lead to the following estimated benefits in Florida over the next 50 years:

• 101,000 avoided premature deaths,
• 40,000 avoided emergency room visits and hospitalizations,
• 23+ million avoided lost work days,
• And nearly $750 billion in economic value of expected health benefits.

The report, prepared by the staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and its Subcommittee on Environment, is available HERE; a one-page summary is available HERE.

“Climate action can prevent over 100,000 deaths in Florida in the coming decades,” said Chair Castor. “It can keep people out of the E.R. and clean up the air for workers and families. And it can make communities across Florida more resilient to extreme heat and flooding, as we create jobs in clean energy.”

“As the world gets hotter, the risk of heat-related or pollutant-related illnesses and deaths increases substantially—and communities of color are at even higher risk. At all income levels, Hispanic and African American families are significantly more likely than white families to have high rates of exposure to air pollution, water pollution, and toxic chemicals, and to suffer the resulting health effects,” said Rep. Mucarsel-Powell. “The Republican Senate must pass the Climate Action Now Act to ensure the U.S. remains a part of the Paris Climate Agreement and takes concrete steps to combat these disastrous health consequences of climate change.”

“Lives could literally be saved by reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rep. Deutch. “We could reduce hospital visits, childhood illnesses, and lost workdays, not to mention the economic benefits across the board. Particularly in the midst of this pandemic, which has more severely impacted people with respiratory health issues, we should be doing all we can to make us healthier and better prepared.”

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