Trump Administration Halts Climate Research   

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Trump administration “released” scientists working on the National Climate Assessment, effectively canceling the foundational report that details the effects of climate change on the nation, regions, and local areas.   

This follows its budget proposal to eliminate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration support for weather and climate research, and reports that all the staff working on the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the federal staff responsible for the National Climate Assessment, had been laid off.    

The following is a statement from Ticora Jones, chief science officer at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):  

“Putting the nation’s head in the sand doesn’t make the threats go away—it only makes it harder to prepare for the worsening economic, security, health, and quality of life problems barreling our way. 

“This assessment is so important because it lets every American know how climate change affects their community—or even their own backyard.  

“Cutting federal climate research won’t eliminate the threats from intense heat waves, unprecedented hurricanes, or devastating flooding, it will just make our nation far less able to prepare for them.” 

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).