Story highlights Many are avoiding explicitly answering whether the government needs to be more focused on climate change

Instead some say the focus needs to be on preparedness and resiliency

Climate change is a "longer discussion on another day," said WH budget chief Mick Mulvaney

Washington (CNN) Last year was the Earth's warmest recorded year, the third year in a row to set a new record for global average temperatures. Rising temperatures are likely to increase the intensity and impact of major storms, scientists say, yet in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the Trump administration has resisted talking about climate change at all.

Several key administration officials have been on message this week declining to discuss the issue and how to address the causes of global warming and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Mick Mulvaney, the director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget, said climate change is a "longer discussion on another day" and a "big topic for the media."

"I'll be more than happy to have a longer discussion on another day about climate change, man-made climate change," Mulvaney told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead" Wednesday.

"What we are focusing on right now is taking care of the folks who survived this disaster who need our immediate help," he said. "There's plenty of time later on to have those discussions, and I know we will because climate change is clearly a big topic for the media, but we will continue to focus our attention on the folks who need it right now."

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