Craig Fugate and Amna Nawaz discuss climate change and disaster response on 'Settle In'
Craig Fugate led the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the Obama administration through record-breaking disaster years. On our PBS News podcast, "Settle In," Amna Nawaz spoke with Fugate about how climate change has upended disaster response, and about criticism that the agency has been politicized in recent years.
Craig Fugate, who oversaw the Federal Emergency Management Agency during Obama's presidency through a series of devastating disasters, discussed climate change and disaster response on PBS News podcast Settle In. Joined by host Amna Nawaz, Fugate explained how climate change has significantly impacted disaster response. Fugate recounted a conversation he had with President Obama, who asserted that the debate over climate change had concluded and shifted the focus to adaptation.
This statement, Fugate said, created a rift within the climate community. Despite the ongoing debate about the causes and reality of climate change, Fugate agreed that the impacts were already evident and that FEMA needed to adapt its guidance to address future risks instead of relying on historical data from previous 100 years.
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