The Trump administration has dismissed hundreds of scientists and experts who had been working on the federal government’s upcoming climate change report, the New York Times reported Monday. The sixth National Climate Assessment, scheduled for early 2028, is now under full re-evaluation.
Contributors were informed via email that the scope of the report is being reconsidered and that all current participants were being released from their roles. “As plans develop for the assessment, there may be future opportunities to contribute or engage. Thank you for your service,” the email stated.
Since 2000, the federal government has produced climate assessments every few years, aiming to predict impacts on public health, agriculture, transportation, and energy sectors. The last report was released in 2023.
Scientists had submitted a draft outline of the next assessment to the White House for review, but that process has since been placed on indefinite hold. Additionally, the agency comment period on the report has been postponed, raising further questions about the project’s future.
Some of the dismissed contributors expressed frustration. Meade Krosby, a senior scientist at the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group, said, “There may well be a sixth National Climate Assessment. The question is whether it is going to reflect credible science and be of real use to our communities.”
Jesse Keenan, a professor at Tulane University and another former contributor, commented, “This is as close as it gets to a termination of the assessment. If you get rid of all the people involved, nothing’s moving forward.”
The National Climate Assessment has often been cited by policymakers at the state and local levels, as well as private businesses, to adapt to environmental changes. The Trump administration’s move signals a shift in the federal approach to climate policy, emphasizing a reevaluation of previous assumptions and priorities.
