Climate change is increasingly evident in the extreme weather, heat waves and algae blooms that can hurt agriculture, drinking water and tourism in the region, as the 2018 National Climate Assessment describes. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, ORBIMAGE

Climate change poses risks to the economy and identity of a Great Lakes landscape, much of it defined by bountiful farms, pine forests and clear waters. But political leaders haven’t always treated it that way.

That’s starting to change as a wave of new governors and attorneys general take office across the region with promises—and actions—to address climate change.

The regional changes may signal a new dynamic for national debates, as climate policy advocates broaden their base of support to include some of the country’s hubs of manufacturing and farming. It also is happening at a time of growing urgency for concerted state-level efforts on climate change in response to the federal government’s push to roll back greenhouse gas emissions rules.

“It’s really crucial in this time when there are so many environmental policies going the wrong way […]