SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — At a press conference on Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker took a swing at Florida as he praised Illinois' climate actions as it moves towards renewable energy sources.
FILE - Gov. JB Pritzker jokes that Florida 'doesn't believe in science' as he announces The Aspen Institutes flagship climate change event is moving to Chicago.
The comments were made at the Aspen Ideas Climate Chicago, where the Aspen Institute leaders announced they would move their flagship climate change event from Florida to Chicago.
"You are not the first to make this choice to move from Florida to Illinois and you certainly won't be the last," Pritzker said. "No offense to Floridians — but [in Illinois] we have beaches and we believe in science."
The flagship event is known as Aspen Ideas: Climate, and is a multi day function that will be hosted in Chicago in July. It holds policy makers, scientists and many other climate leaders to educate the public on climate changes issues according to the Aspen Institute.
Pritzker said the state of Illinois is leading in clean energy, and that America must follow in order to avoid catastrophe.
"We have already started to experience the consequences of the world's failure to act more quickly," Pritzker said. "Extreme temperatures, natural disasters, skyrocketing home insurance rates, resource shortages and so much else. Lives are at stake."
Illinois has doubled its solar and wind energy production since Pritzker became the governor in 2018. Currently wind energy produces up to 10% of the state's energy.
Illinois has increased its reliance on nuclear and wind energy while cutting down on coal. However, fossil fuel reliance has maintained the same over the past three decades.
This is because of the state's rise in using natural gas, which releases methane. Methane is a heavier particle than carbon dioxide, so it adds to the greenhouse effect, keeping heat in the atmosphere and warming the planet.
According to Politico, President Donald Trump signed executive orders to block the continued funding of Biden's climate and infrastructure bills, which may impede Illinois' transition to clean energy sources.
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