President Obama signed an executive order last week directing federal agencies to make it easier for communities to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather and prepare for the impacts of climate change.
The order, based on the Climate Action Plan the President announced over the summer, instructs agencies to modernize federal programs to support climate-resilient investments, plan for climate change related risks to federal facilities, operations, and programs, and provide information to help state, local, and private-sector stakeholders take steps to improve preparedness and resilience.
The executive order also established a task force of state, local, and tribal leaders to advise the Administration on how the federal government can respond to the needs of communities nationwide that are dealing with the impacts of climate change. Task force members will include state, local, and tribal leaders from across the country.