So, like, America has always been pretty awesome when it comes to science, you know? We’ve had top-notch researchers doing their thing at universities and government agencies, making breakthroughs in weather forecasting, curing diseases, and keeping an eye on greenhouse gas emissions. Back in 1990, Congress was all like, “Hey, let’s focus this brainpower on understanding climate change because it’s kind of a big deal for our health and the economy.” But then along comes Donald Trump and his crew, and they’re all, “Nah, we don’t really vibe with that.” In his first 100 days back in the White House, Trump has been dropping orders left and right that mess with the whole science scene.
The latest move? Scrapping the National Climate Assessment, a report that helps towns and cities get ready for a warmer world, by canceling the contract for the research firm that makes it happen. Leaked memos show Trump’s team wants to cut back on NASA’s science work and totally ax the research at NOAA, which handles climate, weather, and conservation stuff. And just a couple weeks ago, over $2 billion in research cash to Harvard got frozen, all because Trump thinks universities are too “woke.”
Now, the experts are freaking out. They’re all worried that all these attacks on science will make the U.S. lose its spot as a top player in climate research. Since Trump took over, the government has been holding back billions in climate funding and grants for schools. And Elon Musk’s team has been slashing the federal workforce, including firing tons of scientists, to save money. They’re even canceling millions in grants from the National Science Foundation. Oh, and Marco Rubio just shut down the Office of Global Change, which deals with international climate stuff.
Max Holmes, who’s big at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts, says, “Science is what makes America great, and if we mess with that, we’re heading in the wrong direction.” He thinks that other countries might step up, but losing American research and know-how will impact the whole world.
Measuring a country’s science game can be tricky, but one way is to check out how many studies its scientists put out. For the last 25 years, U.S. scientists have been pumping out like 400,000 studies every year—more than anyone else until China took the lead in 2016. This is all thanks to the government, which has been dropping cash on science since World War II.
But Trump is doing things differently this time around. Last time he was in the White House, the National Climate Assessment was almost done, and he didn’t mess with it much. But now, he’s pulled the plug on the consulting firm in charge of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which basically means the next climate report is in trouble.
Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist who’s been working on these reports, says, “We’ve always made decisions based on the past, but now we’re facing a curve in the road like never before because of human actions.” The government’s plan to cut NOAA’s budget by 27 percent would scrap the whole research arm, shut down labs, and even close the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, which tracks carbon dioxide.
Rick Spinrad, who used to run NOAA, says losing all this data will hurt everyone. The agency’s research helps with things like disaster response and farming predictions. And it’s not like you can just turn off science and then flip a switch to bring it back.
The cuts are also hitting universities hard. The government usually hands out billions to schools for research, but Trump’s freezing a lot of that money. The National Science Foundation, which gave $800 million for climate research in 2018, has stopped taking new grant applications. And the Department of Energy has been pulling back funds, too.
David Ackerly from UC Berkeley says these cuts are about more than just research. They’re a political move. And the damage might last a long time.
The U.S. might lose its leadership in climate science, and scientists are already looking for jobs elsewhere. European countries are rolling out the red carpet for American researchers, offering programs and partnerships to keep them working.
But hey, maybe it’s just me, but cutting back on science seems like a pretty big deal. And not really sure why this matters, but the U.S. might be in for some rough times if we keep heading down this path.
