In brief
The Trump administration's recent decision to dismiss researchers involved in the National Climate Assessment raises significant doubts about the future of this critical report that outlines the impacts of climate change on the U.S.
The Trump administration has taken a controversial step by dismissing hundreds of scientists and experts working on the National Climate Assessment (NCA), raising alarms among climate advocates and policymakers. This report, required by Congress, provides essential insights into how global warming impacts various aspects of American life, such as health, agriculture, and the economy. As the team prepared to release the sixth assessment, expected in 2028, they were informed through an email that all contributors were being "released" from their roles, emphasizing a reevaluation of the report's scope. Experts are concerned that this move effectively halts progress on the important report, with critics describing it as a near-definitive end to an assessment that has been pivotal for state and local governments.According to Jesse Keenan, a climate adaptation professor at Tulane University and co-author of the last NCA, eliminating the entire team risks the future of the assessment. Given the report's historical role in informing strategies for mitigating the effects of climate-related disasters, this decision has sparked widespread debate about its implications for the nation’s climate policy.
