Responding to Climate Change

     Climate Change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. At a time when responding to our changing climate is one of the nation's most complex endeavors, reports from national academies provide thoughtful analysis and helpful direction to policymakers and stakeholders through it experts, consensus reports and other activities. Climate Change is a defining challenge of our times. Its impacts and implications will be global for reaching and largely irreversible. Climate Change is already increasing the risk of exposure to hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity among the poorest and most vulnerable people. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and intense,land and water are becoming more scare and difficult to access, and increases in agricultural productivity are becoming more difficult to achieve. Climate Change exemplifies this conundrum. In many respects, the regulatory, market and technological environment for companies to plan their Climate Change responses is uncertain. In other respects, there are clear signals, not least with regard to the over all direction of travel towards cleaner energy and the imperatives of many national policy requirements.