Dismissed Climate Scientists Publish Independent Report
Researchers fill information gap after Trump administration halted national climate assessment.
1Scientific response to political interference
175 climate scientists, including former contributors to the National Climate Assessment, published an independent report after the Trump administration dismissed hundreds of researchers working on the congressionally mandated assessment in April 2025. The administration also defunded the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which coordinated the report. This new research commentary, published in journals of the American Geophysical Union and American Meteorological Society, aims to guide future climate research priorities and provide actionable data for local governments.
2Critical research gaps identified
The report highlights understudied climate risks like compound events, where multiple disasters occur sequentially (e.g., heatwaves following hurricanes). It also documents scientific advancements since the last assessment in 2023, including improved flood risk modeling that accounts for rapid hurricane intensification and coastal subsidence. These findings address immediate needs of communities experiencing unprecedented climate impacts that overwhelm existing infrastructure and policies.
3Unprecedented political interference
The Trump administration proposed editing the 2023 National Climate Assessment to remove high-emissions scenarios, despite the report having already undergone peer review. Climate scientists condemned this as politically motivated interference with established scientific processes. The administration appointed Matthew Wielicki, a climate change skeptic who has dismissed heat wave coverage as 'hysteria,' to lead the USGCRP, raising concerns about future assessments' scientific integrity.
4Legal mandate vs political reality
The 1990 Global Change Research Act requires quadrennial climate assessments, but administrations have frequently missed deadlines. The sixth assessment, due in 2027, remains uncertain under the current administration. Previous assessments provided localized climate predictions and adaptation strategies, serving as critical planning tools for state/local governments and businesses now facing an information vacuum.
5Scientific community's contingency plan
Major scientific organizations anticipated the potential absence of the sixth assessment and initiated this special collection as a stopgap measure. While not a replacement for the comprehensive national assessment, it provides timely research to support decision-making. The AGU president emphasized this as an opportunity to develop new methodologies that could strengthen future assessments, should they resume.
6Accelerating climate impacts
The report's urgency reflects worsening climate conditions: July 2026 was the hottest month on record in the U.S., with June-August being the warmest quarter ever recorded. Scientists have clearly linked climate change to intensifying hurricanes, droughts, and extreme rainfall. These accelerating impacts make the absence of authoritative federal climate guidance particularly consequential for vulnerable communities.
7Institutional knowledge at risk
The dismissal of assessment contributors threatens continuity in climate monitoring. Previous assessments involved hundreds of scientists building on decades of institutional knowledge. The report authors stress that maintaining this expertise is crucial for tracking climate trends and validating new research methods, especially as climate models require constant refinement to match observed changes.
8Broader implications for science policy
This conflict exemplifies growing tensions between scientific institutions and political actors over climate communication. The report represents both a scientific endeavor and a political statement about research independence. Its reception may influence how future administrations approach climate science, with potential long-term consequences for U.S. climate preparedness and international credibility.
Original article: NBC News Science — Dismissed Climate Scientists Publish Independent Report