The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting (FCIR) published a report and revealed that some officials in Florida have been reportedly prohibited to make use of terms such as climate change, global warming and sustainability.

Christopher Byrd, an attorney with the DEP's Office of General Counsel in Tallahassee from 2008 to 2013, said that they were asked not to make use of the terms climate change, global warming or sustainability. Byrd also said that superiors in the Office of General Counsel communicated this message to him and his colleagues.

"Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems", wrote the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Doug Young, president of the South Florida Audubon Society and a member of the Broward County Climate Change Task Force said that they have not permitted to use the words, or demonstrate any slides that have anything associated with climate change. About $106 million for sea-level increase has been allocated by Governor Scott last month despite the ban.

The state has been criticized over allegations that Gov. Rick Scott led the charge in 2011 to eliminate the words from entering public or official forum. The state government employees were asked not to use those words, and this is something that has attracted a lot of attention. Other states such as Tennessee and Louisiana have also criticized for forcing teachers to teach students alternative theories on why global warming might be taking place.