Trump's climate stance alarms scientists as second term looms

Scientists at the American Geophysical Union conference fear threats to climate research under a second Trump presidency, including censorship, funding cuts agency upheavals.

Zack Colman and Chelsea Harvey report for POLITICO.

In short:

Researchers worry Trump’s return could mean dismantling or weakening federal climate programs.
Project 2025, a conservative blueprint, proposes deep budget cuts and reorganizations of agencies like NOAA and EPA.
Many anticipate censorship of climate-related terms, potential layoffs shifts in scientific priorities.

Key quote:

“There are definitely going to be some bad things happening for science policy, science workers, the scientific enterprise at large.”

— Caitlin Bergstrom, the American Geophysical Union’s program manager for science policy and government relations

Why this matters:

Federal climate research informs policies protecting public health and the environment. Disruptions could hinder our understanding of climate change and slow efforts to mitigate its impacts. A rollback in funding or suppression of data could leave communities unprepared for accelerating climate threats.

www.politico.com

TransAlta head office building in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Credit: Jeff Whyte Photography/BigStock Photo ID: 449639657

The tab to keep a Pacific Northwest coal plant on standby keeps rising. Who will pay?

Electric utilities across the Pacific Northwest are fuming that their customers might be saddled with the costs of a coal-burning power plant that isn’t producing any power.The messy dispute stems from the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to sustain the American coal industry.

Read the Full Article on

washingtonstatestandard.com

Trump's climate stance alarms scientists as second term looms

Carbon captured

‘Kind of miracle solution’: How Paris is harnessing the Seine to replace air-con

Indigenous cultural practices are a climate solution, report finds

The ‘guerrilla solar’ era has arrived, and here’s what to know

Solar has a PR problem. Could ‘Got Milk?’ help?

The tab to keep a Pacific Northwest coal plant on standby keeps rising. Who will pay?

EU countries are bailing out fossil fuels instead of funding the green transition, Greenpeace warns

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.