DeSantis’ office: climate activists want ‘control, not conservation’

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office railed against U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry for comments that world leaders are a “select group” that make decisions about “saving the planet” at the World Economic Forum.

Kerry, speaking to WEF attendees in Davos, said, “It’s pretty extraordinary that we, [a] select group of human beings, because of whatever touched us at some point in our lives – are able to sit in a room and come together and actually talk about saving the planet.”

“I mean, it’s so almost extraterrestrial to think about, quote ‘saving the planet.’ If you said that to most people […] they think you’re just a crazy tree-hugging, lefty, liberal, you know, do-good or whatever, and and there’s no relationship. But really, that’s where we are,” he said.

One of the WEF’s latest climate proposals include “adding carbon credits” to a “climate action plan.” Carbon credits would be “permits” that allow owners and organizations to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.

Kerry also said at the annual meeting that the world must act as though “we were at war” and should “be ready to turn factories into solar panel producers.”

Bryan Griffin, press secretary for DeSantis, said Kerry’s comments “perfectly [sum] up why the popular climate movement is about control, not conservation.”

“‘We, the select few, get to impose our will on the daily lives of others. And we love it,'” he said.

DeSantis has awarded billions of dollars in Florida for conservation efforts. Earlier in January, DeSantis pledged $3.5 billion over four years for Everglades conservation.

“We need to leave Florida to God better than we found it,” he said.

Millions were also invested in August to acquire nearly 20,000 acres for conservation purposes.