Following the dismissal of numerous authors from the National Climate Assessment (NCA) by the Trump administration, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and American Meteorological Society (AMS) announced their intent to publish a special collection of climate change research. The NCA is a vital, congressionally mandated report summarizing the impacts of climate change in the U.S., but its future remains uncertain due to concerns about reduced rigor and accuracy following the staffing changes. Robert Kopp, a professor at Rutgers University and one of the dismissed authors, expressed worries that the assessment could become less evidence-based.
The AGU and AMS’s special collection will be published in over two dozen peer-reviewed journals. While it is not intended to replace the NCA, AGU President Brandon Jones described it as an opportunity to publish new research that could support a U.S.-focused climate assessment. The White House has not commented on the rationale for the dismissals or the future of the NCA.
The Global Change Research Act mandates that the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) submit the NCA every four years, synthesizing scientific findings about climate change and its effects on various regions. The most recent report, released in 2023, highlighted an average temperature increase of 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1970 and noted the growing frequency of extreme weather events.
With the USGCRP’s operations under review and crucial research efforts stalled, Kopp pointed out that without a dedicated organization to manage and carry out the report’s structure, replicating the NCA would be challenging. The authors had already committed a year to outlining chapters for the next report, showing their extensive preparation now at risk.
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