Within the federal government, science — especially climate science — has taken a beating. The Trump administration has moved from climate denial to climate erasure, firing thousands of career scientists across departments, rolling back established landmark protections, and undermining its own authority to regulate pollutants like carbon emissions. Even at the UN General Assembly, Trump referred to green energy as a “scam” and said climate science came from “stupid people.”
But climate scientists aren’t all taking it lying down. From former EPA researchers to independent academics, many are heroically maintaining open-access databases and continuing fundamental research like the National Climate Assessment without the administration’s blessing.
Guests:
Brandon Jones, President, American Geophysical Union
Wes Ingwersen, Lead, Cornerstone Sustainability Data Initiative
Rachel Cleetus, Senior Policy Director, Climate and Energy, Union of Concerned Scientists
For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
3:23 - Brandon Jones on how the Trump administration has treated science
6:35 - Brandon Jones on what’s next for scientists who were laid off
10:58 - Brandon Jones on continuing to collect climate data
13:18 - Wes Ingwersen on the creation of USEEIO
22:24 - Wes Ingwersen on how EPA changed when Lee Zeldin took over
31:24 - Wes Ingwersen on when EPA employees decided to speak out
37:31 - Wes Ingwersen on taking his work to Stanford
42:28 - Rachel Cleetus on DOE climate report
51:27 - Rachel Cleetus on agency staff cuts
60:40 - Rachel Cleetus on how the scientific community is responding
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