Importance Score: 72 / 100 🔴
Concerns Rise as Trump Administration Cuts Funding for National Climate Assessment
The Trump administration has reduced funding and staff for the crucial program overseeing the federal government’s primary report on global warming‘s impact on the United States. This action has sparked worries among scientists regarding the future of the National Climate Assessment. This comprehensive report, mandated by Congress, analyzes the multifaceted effects of rising temperatures across various sectors, including public health, agriculture, energy, water resources, and transportation, serving as a vital resource for informed decision-making by state and local governments and businesses alike in preparing for climate change.
National Climate Assessment Under Scrutiny
The climate assessment is managed by the Global Change Research Program, a federal entity established by Congress in 1990. This program, supported by NASA, coordinates efforts from 14 federal agencies, the Smithsonian Institution, and numerous external scientists to produce the report.
Contract Terminations Raise Uncertainty
On Tuesday, NASA issued stop-work orders on two contracts with ICF International, a consulting firm that had been a key provider of technical support and personnel for the Global Change Research Program. ICF’s initial five-year contract, valued at over $33 million and signed in 2021, provided approximately two dozen staff members who collaborated with federal employees from various agencies on the program.
Assessment’s Future in Doubt
Experts suggest that the cessation of ICF’s support casts significant doubt on the timely progression of the assessment.
“It’s difficult to see how a National Climate Assessment can be produced now,” stated Donald Wuebbles, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois and a past contributor to climate assessments. However, he emphasized, “it remains a mandate from Congress.”
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
NASA Statement Cites Efficiency
In a public statement, a NASA spokesperson indicated that the agency is “streamlining” its contract for technical support of the U.S. Global Change Research Program to align with President Trump’s executive directives. She added that NASA intends to collaborate with the White House to determine “the optimal approach to support the congressionally mandated program while enhancing efficiencies across the 14 agencies and advisory committee involved.”
Conservative Media Influence
The contract cancellation followed a report by a conservative news website, The Daily Wire, which focused on ICF’s significant role in producing the National Climate Assessment, in an article entitled “Meet the Government Consultants Raking in Millions to Spread Climate Doom.”
ICF has not yet issued a public response to requests for comment. Politico was the first news outlet to report on the contract cancellation.
Political Context and Scientific Concerns
Many climate scientists had already anticipated potential challenges for the next National Climate Assessment, scheduled for release in 2027 or 2028.
President Trump has historically dismissed climate change as a hoax. Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, had previously suggested that the next administration should “reshape” the Global Change Research Program, arguing that its climate change reports were frequently used to justify environmental lawsuits that restricted federal actions.
Past Attempts to Obstruct Assessment
During President Trump’s previous term, his administration made unsuccessful attempts to obstruct the National Climate Assessment. When the 2018 report, which concluded that global warming posed a serious and immediate threat, was released, the administration chose to publicize it the day after Thanksgiving, seemingly in an attempt to minimize public attention.
“We were fully expecting this,” commented Jesse Keenan, an associate professor at Tulane School of Architecture and an author of a National Climate Assessment chapter on the impact of climate change on infrastructure. “The situation was already precarious,” he noted.
Process and Importance of the National Climate Assessment
Typically, the climate assessment is compiled by volunteer scientists nationwide. The report undergoes multiple review stages involving 13 federal agencies, as well as public comment periods. While the government does not compensate the scientists directly, it funds the coordination efforts.
Review Process on Hold
In February, scientists submitted a detailed outline for the next assessment to the White House for initial review. However, this review is currently on hold, and the agency comment period has been postponed.
Ladd Keith, an associate professor at the University of Arizona specializing in extreme heat governance and urban planning, who contributed to the chapter on the U.S. Southwest, emphasized that while scientists can conduct independent research, the federal government’s involvement is crucial to the report’s significance.
Government Oversight Adds Value
“The strength of the National Climate Assessment lies in its rigorous review process by all federal agencies and public stakeholders,” Dr. Keith explained. “This distinguishes it from reports produced solely by academic groups, of which there are many. ”
Katherine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University, stressed the assessment’s importance for comprehending the implications of climate change for everyday life in the United States.
“It personalizes the global issue, bringing it closer to home,” Dr. Hayhoe stated. “For anyone concerned about food, water, transportation, insurance, or health, the assessment reveals what climate change means specifically for those living in regions like the Southwest or the Great Plains. That’s its inherent value.”