John Kerry Calls Out Florida's Ban On Saying 'Climate Change'

Secretary of State John Kerry, challenging climate change deniers to face reality, not-so-subtly called out Florida Gov. Rick Scott's (R) administration on Thursday forbanning the term "climate change" from all government communications.

"We literally do not have the time to waste debating whether we can say 'climate change,'" Kerry said in a speech hosted by the Atlantic Council. "We have to talk about how we solve climate change. Because no matter how much people want to bury their heads in the sand, it will not alter the fact that 97 percent of peer-reviewed climate studies confirm that climate change is happening and that human activity is largely responsible."

News of Florida'a ban, which also extends to the term "global warming," came to light over the weekend in a report by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.

Scott in May declined to say whether he believed in climate change, but has said repeatedly that he is is not convinced by the science.

Such thinking is far too prevalent in Washington, and politicians who ignore the facts will not be remembered favorably by those who will face global warming's worst perils, Kerry said in his speech.

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