Trump administration is altering previously published climate reports
17 days ago
- #government-policy
- #climate-change
- #science
- Energy Sec. Chris Wright announced the Trump administration is updating National Climate Assessments, previously removed from government websites.
- Wright criticized past reports as unfair in assessing climate change and suggested fixing objectionable content.
- Energy spokesperson clarified that NOAA, not DOE, publishes the reports, and Wright wasn't altering past reports personally.
- National Climate Assessments are congressionally mandated, involving hundreds of scientists and experts, with rigorous peer review.
- The Trump administration released the Fourth US National Climate Assessment in 2018 but tried to downplay its impact.
- The current administration has deleted past reports, fired scientists, and issued a separate report questioning climate change severity.
- Altering published assessments would escalate efforts to discredit climate science, according to experts.
- Wright commissioned a new federal report by climate contrarians, questioning climate change severity, released alongside EPA regulatory repeal proposals.
- The DOE report took two months, unlike years for National Climate Assessments, and is now open for public comments.