To date decisions related to the management and protection of the nations people resources and infrastructure have been based on records in the recent past when climate was relatively stable adapting to the impacts of climate change part of the congressionally requested americas climate choices suite of studies calls for a new paradigm one that considers a range of possible future climate conditions and impacts that may be well outside the realm of past experience. Americas climate choices adapting to the impacts of climate change adaptation requires actions from many decision makers in federal state tribal and local governments the private sector non governmental organizations and community groups however current efforts are hampered by a lack of solid information about the benefits costs and . The panel on adapting to the impacts of climate change was charged to describe analyze and assess actions and strategies to reduce vulnerability increase adaptive capacity improve resilience. Calls for a national adaptation strategy to support and coordinate decentralized efforts recommendations include that the federal government should provide technical and scientific resources that are currently lacking at the local or regional scale incentives for local and state authorities to begin adaptation planning guidance across jurisdictions sharing of lessons learned and support . Convened by the national research council in response to a request from congress americas climate choices is a suite of five coordinated activities designed to study the serious and sweeping issues associated with global climate change including the science and technology challenges involved and provide advice on the most effective steps and the most promising strategies that can be taken