Resilient Communities,
Extreme Weather,
Inclusive Innovation & Technology
Autumn Burton is the Senior Associate of Climate, Health, and Environment at the Federation of American Scientists. She works on advancing climate resilience through effective federal policy innovation and implementation. A champion of equitable solutions, Autumn supports FAS’ collaborative efforts with policymakers across the federal government to develop and support policies that address environmental injustices, prepare communities for natural hazards, and ensure the health and wellness of American citizens during climate events.
Prior to her work at FAS, Autumn was a Research and Advocacy Advisor at Global Witness, where she helped lead efforts to drive research and action at the intersection of international energy policy and climate justice. She has made an impact in advancing equity and resilience during her tenures as a fellow for the Natural Resource Defense Council’s E2 1 Hotels Fellowship program, Friends of the Earth, and the Second Day. Autumn’s journey in environmental policy and research began at Duke University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Sciences and Policy, with a concentration in International Policy and Energy. During this time, she engaged in research consulting on sustainability, conservation, and resilience efforts in Ethiopia and Madagascar through the Duke University Nicholas School for the Environment.
Public health insurance programs, especially Medicaid, Medicare, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), are more likely to cover populations at increased risk from extreme heat, including low-income individuals, people with chronic illnesses, older adults, disabled adults, and children.
Congress should design strategic insurance solutions, enhance research and data, and protect farmworkers through on-farm adaptation measures.
FAS’s new Resilient Cooling Strategy and Policy Toolkit is designed to help state and local policymakers implement resilient cooling in ways that cut costs, protect public health, and reduce grid strain.
This toolkit introduces a set of Policy Principles for Resilient Cooling and outlines a set of actionable policy options and levers for state and local governments to foster broader access to resilient cooling technologies and strategies.
With strategic investment, cross-sector coordination, and long-term planning, it is possible to reduce risks and protect vulnerable communities. We can build a future where power lines no longer spark disaster and homes stay safe and connected — no matter the weather.
Through investments in infrastructure for heat safety, Congress can save lives, protect the economy, and enhance resilience nationwide.
To protect rural America, Congress must address extreme heat’s impacts by repairing rural health systems, strengthening the preparedness of rural businesses, and hardening rural energy infrastructure
The federal government needs to strengthen energy systems through investments in energy infrastructure across energy generation, transmission, and use.
Understanding and planning for the compound impacts of extreme heat and wildfire smoke will improve public health preparedness, mitigate public exposure to extreme heat and wildfire smoke, and minimize economic losses.
Extreme heat has become a national economic crisis: lowering productivity, shrinking business revenue, destroying crops, and pushing power grids to the brink. The impacts of extreme heat cost our Nation an estimated $162 billion in 2024 – equivalent to nearly 1% of the U.S. GDP.
To address challenges posed by increased extreme heat, USAID should mobilize finance through environmental impact bonds focused on scaling extreme heat adaptation solutions.
As temperatures rise, so do energy bills. Energy justice should be a federal priority as the extreme heat crisis exposes energy security gaps.