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The Politics Of Climate Change

Michael Gunter. Photo: Matthew Peddie, WMFE
Michael Gunter. Photo: Matthew Peddie, WMFE

Political Scientist Michael Gunter says powerful hurricanes like Dorian reinforce the need to confront the reality of climate change before it’s too late. Gunter says the solution is two fold: changing the way we live to slow climate change and adapting to a warmer planet. 

Gunter is an author and speaker on global environmental affairs and a professor and international relations director at Rollins College. 

Two years ago he published an op ed in USA Today: Confront climate change or count on ever crueler hurricanes and Septembers

"No one weather event, as the climate scientists say, can be attributed to climate change, but stronger and stronger weather events like Hurricane Dorian are much more likely," says Gunter.

Gunter says Florida is "ground zero" for climate change.

"We have sea level rise, we have stronger hurricanes to deal with. I think that even as the science has gotten stronger, the political, ideological divide has widened."

Gunter says bridging that divide is a challenge.

"It's tough. We've really siloed our political discourse with social media and online access."

Education reporting on 90.7 News is supported by Helios Education Foundation