Hellmann: Scientists focusing on how to adapt to climate change

The new director of the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment says scientists have shifted their focus on climate change from defending the science to talking about how to adapt.

Jessica Hellmann was appointed the director of the institute last week. She says she will begin working on research that adopts that focus.

"A lot of water cooler conversation was, 'Well, what is this climate change thing? Is it for real?" Hellmann told MPR News' Tom Weber. "I think scientists have been effective at explaining, and we still have a long way to go, about what we mean when we talk about climate change and what its impacts are. But now we have these conversations about what can we do about it."

Hellman says the Institute on the Environment at the U of M will collaborate with businesses and teach people what they can do about climate change.