Climate scientists fired by Trump step in to fill U.S. report gap
Following the dismissal of hundreds of climate researchers by the Trump administration, a group of scientists released a special collection to chart a path for future U.S. climate research and help state and local assessments. The work, produced by 175 independent scientists and published in AGU and AMS journals, outlines prioritized research areas and notes improvements since the 2023 National Climate Assessment. It aims to bridge gaps until a potential sixth assessment, while the administration mulls whether to continue the process and has signaled possible edits to prior reports. The broader context shows record-smashing heat and escalating climate impacts, underscoring the need for continued scientific guidance despite policy flux. Momentum remains uncertain as policymakers weigh the next steps and timelines.
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In April 2025, the Trump administration halted independent scientists' contributions to the sixth National Climate Assessment and cut funding for the US Global Change Research Program, with the USGCRP website subsequently going offline.
The new report, produced by 175 independent climate scientists, was published in Earth’s Future and the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society and proposes focused research priorities, including the risks of compound events like heat waves following hurricanes.
Lead author Melissa Kenney emphasized that the collection provides a roadmap for ongoing research and will be useful for communities, states, and future national assessments, while noting progress since the last assessment in 2023.
The administration has proposed editing the 2023 report to remove discussion of a high-emissions scenario, prompting criticism from analysts who call it politically motivated and a breach of scientific practice.
There is ambiguity about whether a sixth assessment will be produced; the congressional mandate would imply a 2027 due date, though past administrations have not always met such obligations.
Meanwhile, large nonprofit science organizations are preparing for an information gap, with AGU and other groups framing the special collection as complementary rather than a replacement for a formal national assessment.
The article ties the debate to broader climate signals, noting record heat in the U.S. and globally, heightened by recent extremes in rainfall, drought, and hurricane activity, which heighten the urgency of robust, accessible science for policy and planning.