Researchers initiate unified action against Trump's effort to erase legitimate climate data from official records
In a bold move, dozens of veteran climate scientists have launched a coordinated response to the climate change report recently released by the Trump administration. The report, authored by a small group of scholars skeptical of mainstream climate science, has been widely criticised and legally challenged by climate scientists and environmental groups.
The report, authored by five researchers hand-picked by former Energy Secretary Christopher Wright, aims to question the scientific consensus on climate change and downplay its risks to the United States. The five researchers, whose exact names are not specified in the available search results, are known for sowing doubt over the impacts of climate change.
Kim Cobb, who directs the Institute at Brown University for Environment and Society, hopes to help "set the record straight" on climate science in their response to the DOE report. Zeke Hausfather, a climate researcher, had his work misrepresented in the report. Hausfather's research focuses on improving climate modeling.
The science community is particularly frustrated about the Trump administration's downplaying of the severity of climate change. Dessler, the climate scientist leading the response to the DOE report, stated that the community is angry about their work being deleted and twisted to fit the Trump administration's narratives.
The Trump administration's argument that less dire climate scenarios justify rolling back existing climate policy is seen as circular reasoning by some scientists. The National Academy of Sciences announced it is launching a comprehensive review of climate science findings since 2009, in an attempt to provide a more accurate and unbiased assessment of the climate crisis.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency are using the report as evidence to weaken pollution rules. This move has sparked concern among environmental groups and climate scientists, who fear that the administration's actions could have disastrous consequences for the planet.
A 3-degree world by 2100 would still result in significant climate damages, according to Zeke Hausfather. A warming of 4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, the worst-case scenario, is looking less likely due to reduced fossil fuel emissions and the adoption of clean technology.
Some scientists view the use of their research in the DOE report as an unfair assessment, according to Energy Sec. Chris Wright. The administration has suggested that it is altering previously published climate reports to fit its narrative. This claim has not been substantiated, and the scientific community continues to call for transparency and accuracy in the reporting of climate science.
References: [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/climate/trump-climate-report.html [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/11/25/trump-administration-releases-report-downplaying-climate-change-risks/ [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/science/trump-climate-change-report.html
- The climate-change report, published by the Trump administration, has been vigorously contested by environmental scientists and groups, as it questions the scientific consensus on climate change and downplays its risks.
- Kim Cobb, a prominent figure in environmental-science, is part of a coordinated response aiming to "set the record straight" on climate science in response to the DOE report, which has been criticized for misrepresenting climate research.
- The Trump administration's climate policy, based on less dire projections to justify rolling back existing regulations, is viewed as circular reasoning by some scientists, while environmental groups and climate scientists express deep concerns about its potential negative impact on the planet.
