Adaptation: Extreme Weather Comes to Congress, and the Nation

For Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and others who are not concerned about the impacts of rising temperatures, it's smart to stop subsidizing development in floodplains, because damage is expected to rise even without climate change -- as more people cluster around shorelines and river valleys.  It also saves money.

"I think you can pursue adaptation for all sorts of reasons," said Lindene Patton, chief climate product officer for Zurich Insurance Group, noting that the nation isn't ready for current catastrophes, let alone more serious ones projected for the future.  "The current climate suggests that our assets are not sufficiently resilient.  So you can have both perspectives" -- that climate change is real or not.

Adaptation: Extreme Weather Comes to Congress, and the Nation