EXTENSION FOUNDATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EXTENSION COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZATION AND POLICY (ECOP) FOR THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE (CES) AND THE CLIMATE PRIORITY ACTION TEAM (PAT) PROPOSES TO CONVENE NATIONAL EXTENSION LEADERS FROM LAND GRANT UNIVERSITIES INCLUDING HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND TRIBAL COLLEGES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON CLIMATE SCIENCE AND CLIMATE-BASED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. THE NATIONAL EXTENSION CLIMATE ACTION CONVENING WILL STRENGTHEN THE NETWORK OF CLIMATE-BASED EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS, ACCELERATE CLIMATE-RELATED APPLIED RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMING, AND ELEVATE CES'S CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE RESILIENCY, MITIGATION, AND ADAPTATION EFFORTS. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE CONVENING IS TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH WILL SERVE AS A GUIDE TO IDENTIFY ISSUE-BASED APPLIED RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF PRACTICAL CLIMATE APPLICATIONS FOR CES AUDIENCES. THE ACTION PLAN WILL BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS RELEVANT TO EXTENSION IN NIFA'S FORTHCOMING NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE ROADMAP AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.A CONCERTED AND IMPLEMENTABLE ACTION PLAN IS NEEDED TO GUIDE MEANINGFUL ACTION AND LEVERAGE THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SECTION'S(CES) 3200-PLUS NETWORK OF EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THE BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN WILL LEAD TOCES'S INCREASED ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOLUTIONS REGARDING CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION THROUGH SYSTEMWIDE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES AND BENEFIT FROM NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDING. OVER THE LONG TERM, COMMUNITIES WILL BE MORE RESILIENT AND BETTER-EQUIPPED TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF CES PROGRAMMING AND PARTNERSHIPS.?