Private organizations step up to do science that was cut back by the Trump administration

Yahoo! News - May 2nd, 2025
Open on Yahoo! News

The Trump administration recently dismissed hundreds of authors working on the National Climate Assessment, a crucial report mandated by Congress to summarize the effects of climate change in the U.S. This has left the future of the report uncertain and raised concerns about its potential inadequacy. In response, the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society have announced an initiative to publish a special collection of climate research across over two dozen peer-reviewed journals. This effort aims to sustain the momentum of the work initially intended for the National Climate Assessment.

The significance of this development lies in the necessity of the National Climate Assessment, which synthesizes climate science and provides localized predictions crucial for policymakers and the public. The recent release of the 2023 assessment highlighted the warming of the Lower 48 states and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. The White House has not commented on the dismissal of the authors, and the future of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which organizes the report, remains unclear. The scientific community is concerned about the lack of a clear plan for continuing this essential work, highlighting the importance of organized, evidence-based climate assessments for the country.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.2
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article effectively addresses a timely and significant topic, highlighting the Trump administration's actions affecting the National Climate Assessment and the response from scientific communities. It provides a clear and mostly accurate account of events, supported by credible sources. However, the story would benefit from a more balanced representation of perspectives, particularly from the administration, to provide a fuller picture of the situation. The lack of direct comments from government officials and the need for further verification of some claims slightly affect the accuracy and balance of the article. Despite these limitations, the article remains highly relevant to public interest and has the potential to influence discussions and policy decisions related to climate change and scientific research.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article presents several key claims that are generally accurate but require further verification. It accurately describes the Trump administration's dismissal of authors from the National Climate Assessment (NCA) and the subsequent actions by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and American Meteorological Society (AMS) to publish a special collection of climate research. However, the precise number of dismissed authors and the official reasons for their dismissal are not fully detailed. The article also correctly references the Global Change Research Act of 1990 and the requirement for quadrennial reports, but it does not provide specific evidence of legal violations by the administration. Overall, the story is mostly accurate, but some claims lack precise verification, especially regarding the administration's intentions and the impact of defunding the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP).

6
Balance

The article primarily presents the perspective of the scientists and organizations affected by the administration's actions, such as Robert Kopp and the AGU. It includes quotes from these sources expressing concern over the future of climate assessment work. However, it lacks a balanced representation of viewpoints from the Trump administration or any counterarguments that might explain the rationale behind their decisions. The absence of an official comment from the White House further skews the balance, as it does not provide readers with the administration's perspective on the dismissals or the future of the NCA.

8
Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow of information. It introduces the main issue, provides background on the NCA and the Global Change Research Act, and discusses the implications of the administration's actions. The language is straightforward, making the complex topic of climate assessment accessible to a general audience. However, some areas could benefit from additional clarification, such as the specific roles of the dismissed authors and the detailed implications of defunding the USGCRP.

8
Source quality

The article cites credible sources, including Robert Kopp, a professor at Rutgers University, and the AGU and AMS, which are reputable scientific organizations. These sources provide authority and reliability to the claims made. However, the article would benefit from a wider variety of sources, particularly from government officials or independent experts who could provide additional context or counterpoints. The lack of direct quotes or statements from the Trump administration weakens the overall source quality, as it relies heavily on one side of the story.

7
Transparency

The article is transparent about its sources, clearly attributing quotes and information to specific individuals and organizations. It explains the context of the dismissals and the efforts by scientific societies to continue climate research. However, it does not provide detailed information about its methodology or the process by which it gathered information from the involved parties. Additionally, the lack of disclosure about potential conflicts of interest among the quoted sources slightly affects transparency.

Sources

  1. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/scientists-sound-alarm-on-trump-administrations-dismantling-of-research-funding
  2. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/scientific-research-getting-cut-and-should-scare-all-americans
  3. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/environment/article/trump-texas-national-climate-assessment-storms-20300138.php
  4. https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/smart-water-magazine/trump-administration-dismisses-contributors-federal-climate-assessment