President Trump’s pick to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defended sweeping budget cuts during a Senate hearing, just days after deadly floods killed more than 120 people across three states.
Neil Jacobs, nominated to head NOAA, voiced support for proposed 30% budget cuts despite recent catastrophic floods in Texas, North Carolina, and New Mexico.
Jacobs acknowledged human-driven climate change when pressed but emphasized “natural variability,” raising concerns he may downplay the connection between climate and extreme weather.
The cuts would eliminate climate research labs and reduce scientific staffing, even as the National Weather Service remains short-staffed and under pressure from escalating weather disasters.
Key quote:
“Dr. Jacobs’ testimony revealed a fundamental disconnect between his stated support for NOAA’s mission in weather, water, and climate, and his endorsement of a budget that would dismantle the very scientific infrastructure necessary to carry it out.”
— Carlos Martinez, senior climate scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists
Why this matters:
NOAA plays a critical role in forecasting severe weather and understanding climate change. Its data inform everything from emergency planning to crop insurance rates to public health alerts. When the agency’s budget is slashed, and research divisions are dismantled, the country loses vital warning systems and scientific insight just as storms grow more dangerous and less predictable.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse accused fossil fuel companies of orchestrating a decades-long misinformation campaign and urged Democrats to confront the industry's political influence more aggressively.
Sen. Whitehouse marked his 300th climate speech on the Senate floor, blaming both parties — but especially Republicans — for inaction driven by fossil fuel industry funding after the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court ruling.
He criticized Democrats for underestimating voter support for climate action, pointing to polling that shows as many as 74% of Americans want stronger government policies on climate.
Whitehouse described the fossil fuel industry’s campaign against climate legislation as “malevolent,” calling it a “massive fraud” that has blocked science-based policy and endangered communities.
Key quote:
“The fossil fuel industry has run the biggest and most malevolent propaganda operation the country has ever seen.”
— Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Senator from Rhode Island
Why this matters:
The fossil fuel industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually to shape public opinion and influence political outcomes, often delaying climate action even as the consequences become more visible and costly. From extreme weather events damaging homes to rising insurance costs and mortgage denials, climate change is rapidly moving from a distant concern to an economic reality. Yet, because of lobbying and disinformation, the public often underestimates its own support for bold policy shifts. This disconnect — what some researchers call the “spiral of silence” — limits meaningful action.
Developers of solar and wind energy projects have just 12 months to begin construction in order to retain key federal tax credits, following the passage of a new law backed by congressional Republicans and signed by President Trump.
The new law shortens the timeline for solar and wind projects to qualify for federal tax credits, forcing developers to either break ground by July 2026 or risk losing billions in potential investment.
A provision in the final bill gives developers more flexibility than earlier drafts, but industry leaders say the tightened deadline will still halt many early-stage projects and trigger a shortfall in clean energy capacity.
Industry leaders warn of a coming slowdown in new project starts after the 12-month window closes, likely increasing electricity costs and delaying the expansion of low-carbon power sources as U.S. energy demand grows.
Key quote:
“There will still be tons of projects in that 2028 to 2031 window that get killed because visibility into economic viability fails to arrive before development expenses become uncomfortably high.”
— David Riester, founder and managing partner of Segue Sustainable Infrastructure
Why this matters:
The shift away from tax credits for wind and solar could disrupt U.S. energy markets just as demand is surging. New manufacturing, AI-driven data centers, and electrification efforts all require vast amounts of power. Solar, wind, and battery storage have driven most of the grid’s recent growth, but without stable incentives, developers may scrap projects or delay them until the market adjusts. With fossil fuel plants taking years to build and renewables now facing compressed timelines, the U.S. could see gaps in power supply, especially in regions already facing strain.
The Doomsday Clock now ticks just 89 seconds to midnight, with climate change, AI, nuclear weapons, and disinformation all pushing humanity closer to catastrophe.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the symbolic Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds before midnight, the closest in its history, citing unchecked nuclear modernization, worsening climate inaction, and the rise of AI and disinformation.
Physicist Daniel Holz, who chairs the Science and Security Board, warns that nuclear weapons remain on hair-trigger alert, with just minutes for world leaders to decide the fate of civilization in a crisis.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into military systems, including autonomous drones and potentially nuclear command, raising fears about machines accelerating global conflict.
Key quote:
“Really, the Doomsday Clock is a symbol of hope. The whole point of this clock is to, yes, to alarm people, to inform people, but also to demonstrate we can turn back the hands of the clock. And we’ve done it in the past, and we can hope to do it in the future. And we must.”
— Daniel Holz, chair, Science and Security Board, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Why this matters:
When disinformation spreads faster than facts, and AI floods our lives with persuasive lies, democracy wobbles. Climate change is destabilizing borders, economies, and food systems. And all of it’s accelerating, with AI helping to push the pedal down.
Federal workers at science and environmental agencies are bracing for large-scale job cuts after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a legal block on President Trump’s plans to shrink the federal workforce.
The Supreme Court ended an injunction that had paused the Trump administration’s proposed layoffs and restructuring plans for over a dozen federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and Interior Department.
Agencies had already drafted layoff plans and are expected to implement them quickly, with federal workers reporting confusion, anxiety, and fear about when and how cuts will take place.
Critics argue that Trump bypassed congressional authority by initiating reorganization unilaterally; Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote a dissent warning of “harmful upheaval” and questioned the legality of the administration’s approach.
Key quote:
“We’re going to be operating immediately. This is a priority for the administration. You don’t want an unnecessary bureaucracy.”
— Senior White House official
Why this matters:
Slashing the federal workforce at science, energy, and environmental agencies could reshape how the United States approaches health and environmental protection. The EPA and Department of Energy, for example, oversee pollution standards, climate monitoring, toxic chemical reviews, and clean energy programs. A loss of expertise or capacity in these agencies may slow their response to environmental disasters, weaken enforcement of public health safeguards, and undercut research on climate change and pollution. These agencies also play key roles in community resilience and disaster preparedness.
Flash floods in Texas that killed more than 100 people over the Fourth of July weekend are testing the federal government’s new, limited role in disaster response under President Trump.
President Trump declared a major disaster in Texas after deadly floods, unlocking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid despite his recent push to dismantle or downsize the agency.
FEMA’s staff has shrunk by about 25% since 2024, and its responsibilities are being offloaded to states, even as extreme weather becomes more frequent and costly.
Critics warn that reduced federal coordination could lead to inequities, especially for smaller states that depend heavily on national emergency funding and support.
Key quote:
“We, as a federal government, don’t manage these disasters; the state does.”
— Kristi Noem, secretary of Homeland Security
Why this matters:
Natural disasters are hitting harder and more often, but the federal government is scaling back its role in emergency response. FEMA was designed to mobilize resources that states alone often can’t afford — search and rescue, medical teams, flood insurance, and rebuilding funds. Without that support, the burden falls on state and local governments that vary widely in resources, capacity, and infrastructure. In wealthy, populous states like Texas, that may still leave gaps; in smaller or poorer states, it could mean entire regions go without adequate aid.
The July 4 flash flood in Texas killed at least 109 people, including children at a summer camp, and highlighted how climate change is accelerating catastrophic weather while federal protections unravel.
A rare confluence of two saturated storm systems dumped 20 inches of rain on south central Texas, causing the Guadalupe River to rise over 26 feet in 45 minutes and kill more than 100 people.
Local authorities failed to install warning systems along the river despite past flooding and known vulnerabilities, and federal emergency services are being cut under the Trump administration.
The administration has also slashed climate research and weather forecasting budgets, eliminated disaster cost reporting, and canceled key programs aimed at transitioning the country to cleaner energy.
Why this matters:
Climate-driven disasters are becoming deadlier, more erratic, and more expensive. In Texas, the July 4 flood joins a string of recent extreme weather events that show how warming oceans, disrupted air currents, and increased atmospheric moisture can converge into sudden catastrophe. Scientists warn these aren’t isolated events but symptoms of a deepening global crisis. Yet the federal government is retreating from scientific forecasting, emergency preparedness, and decarbonization efforts — leaving local communities exposed.
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