WASHINGTON (AP) — On Friday, two prominent scientific organizations announced their intention to step in and address the gap left by the Trump administration’s removal of scientists working on an essential federal report regarding climate change.
climate change
is affecting the United States.
The American Meteorological Society along with the American Geophysical Union announced their collaboration to create peer-reviewed studies evaluating the present and anticipated nationwide effects of climate change. This initiative comes as a mandated scientific assessment faces uncertainty due to potential shifts under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Earlier this week, Trump’s Republican administration informed approximately 400 scientists contributing to the National Climate Assessment that their services were no longer necessary and that the report would be reassessed. This assessment, which is published every four to five years as mandated by a 1990 federal statute, was scheduled for release around 2027. According to preliminary budget documents, there are plans either to significantly cut funding or eliminate offices responsible for organizing the report, say both scientists and activists.
We are addressing a void within the scientific methodology,” stated AGU President Brandon Jones. “The focus here is primarily on sustaining the continuity of scientific progress.
The former head of the meteorological society, Anjuli Bamzi—a retired federal atmospheric scientist with experience contributing to earlier National Climate Assessments—stated that one of the crucial aspects of the government report is its projection spanning 25 to 100 years ahead.
Bamzi stated, “The evaluation ‘we’re better prepared for what lies ahead’ indicates this. We cannot bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich and ignore it.”
Katharine Hayhoe, who serves as a climate scientist at Texas Tech University and is the chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, stated that the collaboration between these two entities to produce this report underscores the significance of making recent scientific findings accessible and readily available.
Hayhoe, who served as a lead author for assessments in 2009, 2018, and 2023, stated, “Individuals remain unaware of how climate change influences their current choices, be it the diameter of storm sewers being installed, the enlargement of flood-prone areas where construction occurs, or the rise in severe heat events.”
Hayhoe mentioned that they require this information to determine how to cope with damages both currently and in the future.
Unlike the global United Nations reports, the national assessment focuses on changes in weather occurring within the country as well as at more localized regional and local scales.
Jones expressed his hope that the organizations’ efforts could be completed within a single year.
The final climate evaluation report
Released in 2023, stated that climate change is “damaging physical, mental, spiritual, and communal health and wellbeing via more frequent and severe extreme weather events, rising instances of infectious and vector-borne illnesses, as well as decreases in food and water quality and availability.”
In 2018, during
Trump’s first term
The evaluation was equally straightforward, stating: “Climate change introduces new dangers and worsens current susceptibilities in U.S. communities, posing escalating hurdles to public well-being and security, living standards, and the pace of economic expansion.”
However, Donald Wuebbles, a climate scientist from the University of Illinois who headed one of the two national assessments in 2018, expressed his concern over what type of report the incoming administration might attempt to produce, assuming they choose to issue one at all.
“I believe they’ll release something that claims to be science-based, but it’s likely going to turn out quite poor,” Wuebbles told The Associated Press.
Diluting or eliminating the national assessment won’t prevent the message regarding the significance of climate change from being communicated, Wuebbles stated. Scientific organizations stepping up to address this gap will still provide valuable insights as they represent the collective stance of the scientific community. Ultimately, he noted, science relies on data and observations.
“We recognize that this is an incredibly significant issue. We understand it is driven by human actions. Therefore, the key question remains: How should we address it?” Wuebbles stated.
Hayhoe stated that storms and wildfires do not distinguish between red states and blue states.
Climate change impacts everyone,” Hayhoe stated. “Our voting choices don’t make a difference.
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.
Seth Borenstein, The Associated Press
