Citing a lack of concern by Northern Florida politicians over climate change potentially destroying South Florida cities, some politicians have started a movement to make South Florida the 51st state.

South Miami Vice Mayor Walter Harris spearheaded the proposal, telling South Miami City commissioners that politicians in the capital of Tallahassee weren't providing the leadership necessary to address urgent environmental concerns.

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Mayor Philip Stoddard said it was apparent North Florida leaders would "love to saw the state in half and just let us float off into the Caribbean."

The South Miami City Commission by a 3-2 vote approved a resolution urging creation of the new state of South Florida that would include nearly 20 million people, or almost 70 percent of the current state's population. It would include Tampa-St. Petersburg and Orlando southward through Miami and Key West and 24 of the state's 67 counties in all. Proposed boundaries included 2,300-square-miles representing almost 40 percent of the state's land mass.

Climate change continues to cause the rise in sea levels threatening to inundate South Florida, most of which is less than 50 feet above sea level compared to North Florida, which is more than 120 feet above sea level. Many sections of the state around Miami and South Florida are only five feet above sea level.

Climate change forecasts call for sea levels to rise from three to six feet this century. The enabling resolution passed by South Miami commissioners said a new state was "a necessity for the very survival of the entire southern region of the current state of Florida."

The path to statehood would be long, difficult and probably not feasible, but the commission's approval sets a process in motion.

The resolution calling for statehood now goes to each of the 24 counties included in the proposal for consideration. From there, it would go to the Florida Congressional Delegation. To continue toward fruition, a state referendum on the question would have to pass and Congress would have to sign off on the new state.

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