Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Official To Oversee Climate Change Response

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) - Dr. Julia Nesheiwat has been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to be the state's first Chief Resilience Officer whose job is to coordinate a response to climate change.

Nesheiwat is expected to prepare Florida for environmental, physical and economic challenges. She will report to DeSantis and will work with various state agencies, along with local communities and stakeholders.

"Dr. Nesheiwat's more than 20 years' experience operating at the highest levels of government and academia focusing on renewable energy, environmental and critical infrastructure issues make her an excellent choice for this position. She has a proven track record of public, private and military service that will serve Florida well," said DeSantis in a statement.

"As a Floridian from Lake County, I know how important this issue is for the people of Florida. With 1,350 miles of largely low-lying coastline, the impacts from climate change and sea-level rise present a significant challenge," said Nesheiwat.

The Lake County native is a former U.S. Army intelligence officer with combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)