When President Barack Obama reviewed his aides’s ideas for tackling climate change last year, he gave one simple directive: “Don’t skinny it down.”

They didn’t, and Obama now is set to release new limits on greenhouse gas emissions by power plants as early as next week. That comes atop the unveiling of a National Climate Assessment in May and executive actions including promoting renewable fuels and building better defenses against extreme weather.

“The White House is systematically talking about climate change when, not too long ago, they wouldn’t use the word,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island and one of the chamber’s strongest advocates for action to slow climate change. “It’s been a huge step up.”

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