Commissioners in Miami-Dade County and the city of Key West have voted to endorse the Paris Climate Accord, despite President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the international agreement to cut carbon emissions earlier this month.
On Tuesday, both the Miami-Dade County Commission and the Key West City Commission voted to support the agreement.
"We're ground zero. We're at the forefront of what's happening globally. So it's very important for us to weigh in," said Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, who sponsored the county's resolution.
Key West commissioners cited similar concerns at their meeting.
"Being an island surrounded by water, our engineering department's going to have to get really good at building walls to keep the water out if the water levels rise at a faster pace," said Key West Commissioner Sam Kaufman.
In neither case was the support unanimous. Two Miami-Dade commissioners voted against the measure, as did two Key West commissioners.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez said he disliked the terms of the Paris agreement.
"That was just a bad deal for the United State and the American citizens," he said. "It doesn't mean we can't continue to do what we need to do for our environment. We should."
Key West Commissioner Margaret Romero said she did not think it was the city's role to weigh in on national political matters.
"Let's concentrate on what we can do, and if anything else, let's lead by action, not just writing letters," she said.
Copyright 2020 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM. 9(MDAyMTYyMTU5MDEyOTc4NzE4ODNmYWEwYQ004))
