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Ominous forecasts about the impact of climate change serve as the backdrop for the world — led by U.S. lawmakers and companies — to debate big action on the problem, which could upend energy systems and our way of life.

Energy & Environment

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North Carolina has had a “front-row seat when it comes to the effects of climate change," Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said Sunday on "Meet the Press," in the aftermath of one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the U.S. 

Driving the news: The White House approved an emergency declaration for North Carolina after massive storm Ian, which hit Cuba, Puerto Rico, Florida and South Carolina, ripped through the state late Friday and early Saturday.

Details: "We are making sure that we have become a clean energy safe haven and that we are paying attention to resiliency," said Cooper, who added that the state has completed a climate risk assessment and resiliency plan. 

"We know that these areas are vulnerable so what we're doing is making sure that we are using strategies like elevation and even buyouts." 

"We've gone into local communities that have gotten hit several times and it has just become better to make sure that we create green space where homes and businesses used to be to soak up water that may come from a river flood and then to relocate people," he added.

The big picture: Extreme weather trends seen with Ian and over the past several years point to a key role in human-caused climate change, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes.

Hurricanes are fueled by warm, tropical waters and the oceans are absorbing extra heat going into the climate system due to human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases.

All landfalling storms now bring more dangerous coastal flooding due to human-caused sea level rise.

These changes combined with warmer summers are causing climate scientists to forecast things to get worse.  

Governor: North Carolina has "front-row seat" to impact of climate change

"We are making sure that we have become a clean energy safe haven and that we are paying attention to resiliency," Roy Cooper said.

Climate change

President Biden will visit Florida and Puerto Rico this week in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Fiona.

Driving the news: The president and the first lady will visit Puerto Rico on Monday and Florida on Wednesday, the White House announced. 

When asked last week whether he will meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) when he's in Florida, the president said, "The answer is yes, if he wants to meet."

"To the people of Puerto Rico, we've not gone away. I am committed to you and the recovery of the island," Biden said in remarks on Sept. 29.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.

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Biden will visit Florida and Puerto Rico after hurricane devastation

The president and the first lady will visit Puerto Rico on Monday and Florida on Wednesday.

President Biden speaks beside Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters on Sept. 29. Photo: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Joe Biden

Extreme weather

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

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The White House has approved a state of emergency for North Carolina as the remnants of Hurricane Ian approach the state on Saturday.

The big picture: Ian, now considered a post-tropical cyclone, will continue to weaken, but heavy rain and gusty winds will still impact the Mid-Atlantic region and New England coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. 

Why it matters: Ian already battered Cuba, Puerto Rico, Florida and South Carolina earlier this week. Over a million customers in Florida remain without power and at least 30 people have died.  

Losses from Ian are expected to exceed $30 billion, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports, and is likely to be "one of the largest catastrophic loss events" in U.S. history.

Of note: The White House also declared a major disaster for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. 

Federal aid will assist in programs allowing individuals, families, and business owners to recover from the effects of the disaster, per the White House. 

White House declares state of emergency as Ian approaches North Carolina

Ian, which is continuing to weaken, still heavily impact the Mid-Atlantic region and New England coast.

Photo: Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Hurricane Ian

Roughly 450,000 customers were without power across the Carolinas and Virginia on Saturday morning after Hurricane Ian tore inland after hitting Florida earlier this week, according to PowerOutage.us.

Driving the news: Ian hit South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane and brought heavy winds and "life-threatening" storm surge along the North and South Carolina coasts on Friday.

The latest: As of 9am ET, more than 300,000 in North Carolina were without power, and in South Carolina over 57,000 outages were reported.

At least 91,000 outages were reported in Virginia.

About 1.25 million customers were still without power in Florida, down from an approximate 2.7 million on Thursday.

Catch up quick: Ian made landfall Friday afternoon near Georgetown, South Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. 

The storm became a post-tropical cyclone Friday as winds dipped below 70 mph.

The latest update from the NHC, sent around 9 am ET Saturday, had the remnants of Ian located about 30 miles south of Greensboro, North Carolina with winds at 35 mph. 

The big picture: Outages are particularly dangerous as people begin recovery efforts, often leading to indirect hurricane-related deaths days after the storm.

People can overexert themselves while cleaning up the aftermath in excessive heat without air conditioning or be injured by improperly running generators, NHC officials warned Thursday.

Ian makes second official landfall, as Category 1 storm in South Carolina

How you can help Hurricane Ian recovery efforts

450K without power across Carolinas, Virginia after Ian

About 1.25 million customers were still without power in Florida as of Saturday morning.

Storm damage outside in North Carolina after Ian

Remnants of Hurricane Ian bring damaging wind and heavy rain in Charlotte, NC, United States on Sept. 30. Photo: Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott called on Senate leaders Friday to provide more funding to help Florida rebuild after the devastating Hurricane Ian wiped out buildings, roads and power for millions of people.

Why it matters: Several members of Congress from Florida previously voted against a short-term spending bill that includes aid for disaster relief.

What they said: Rubio and Scott sent a joint letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee chairs that requested "much-needed assistance to Florida."

“Hurricane Ian will be remembered and studied as one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit the United States,” the Florida senators wrote. “Communities across Florida have been completely destroyed, and lives have been forever changed.

“A robust and timely federal response, including through supplemental programs and funding, will be required to ensure that sufficient resources are provided to rebuild critical infrastructure and public services capacity, and to assist our fellow Floridians in rebuilding their lives.”

Rubio's office did not immediately return Axios' request for comment.

Yes, but: Florida lawmakers already opposed major disaster relief earlier this week.

Flashback: The Senate passed a stopgap bill Thursday to fund the government through December that included an $18.8 billion fund for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help states with natural disasters, CNBC reports.

Scott voted against the bill, per the Senate roll call. Rubio was not present for the vote.

The House voted in favor of the bill Friday. All 16 GOP members of Florida's Congressional team voted against it, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Scott's office pointed to a statement released Friday that said the continuing resolution (CR) in the bill "contains no funding for Florida’s response to Hurricane Ian."

“Prior to Ian’s development, l made clear that I fully supported the proposed disaster funding for other states," Scott said in a statement.

"This CR failed to fund the federal government until the new Congress begins in 2023, and that is why I could not support it.”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz criticized Floridian lawmakers for not approving the measure.

“The same week that Hurricane Ian brought so much chaos and destruction to Florida, not a single Florida Republican cared enough to vote in favor of hurricane relief for the people in their own state hit hardest by the storm," he said, per the Democrat.

"That is a level of callous indifference and political opportunism that boggles the mind."

The big picture: Multiple Republicans in Congress previously opposed hurricane relief packages or supported proposals that aimed to reduce the amount of federal money given to major storm relief, according to the Daily Beast.

Go deeper: Ian to weaken overnight, NHC says

Rubio, Scott call for Ian relief as Florida GOP votes against FEMA funding

Several members of Congress from Florida previously voted against a spending bill that included FEMA relief.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks to the media with Rick Scott.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks to the media with Rick Scott. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Sunday's energy & environment stories

Governor: North Carolina has "front-row seat" to impact of climate change

Biden will visit Florida and Puerto Rico after hurricane devastation

White House declares state of emergency as Ian approaches North Carolina

450K without power across Carolinas, Virginia after Ian

Rubio, Scott call for Ian relief as Florida GOP votes against FEMA funding