(DailyAnswer.org) – President Trump’s cessation of the U.S. Global Change Research Program marks a significant shift in national climate policy and strategy.
At a Glance
- The Department of Commerce announced a $4 million funding cut for Princeton University’s climate research.
- The funding termination aligns with efforts to streamline and reduce the federal government’s size and cost.
- The U.S. withdrawal affects participation in the IPCC meeting in China, impacting international climate cooperation.
- The program’s cancellation follows scrutiny of its spending and funds linkage to consulting firm ICF.
Termination of US Climate Research Funding
The United States Department of Commerce recently declared a $4 million reduction in funding geared toward Princeton University’s climate research initiatives. This decision is a major component of a broader strategy to curtail federal expenditures in line with President Trump’s administrative goals.
This budget cut significantly affects programs such as the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System (CIMES). The Department of Commerce contends that these initiatives are no longer compatible with the objectives of the NOAA and the Trump administration. The discontinued funding jeopardizes vital oceanic and atmospheric modeling efforts.
Withdrawal from International Climate Cooperation
The Trump administration’s decision also included withdrawing U.S. scientists from contributing to the United Nations’ climate change assessments. Consequently, the U.S. will not partake in an upcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) plenary meeting in China. Climate experts express concern over this absence, fearing it diminishes global climate cooperation potential.
“The power of the IPCC is that governments, businesses, and global institutions can operate with shared conclusions. The U.S. being completely removed from that process is concerning.” – Delta Merner, Union of Concerned Scientists.
This withdrawal is part of a more extensive climate policy shift, stemming from President Trump’s previous decisions, including withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and reducing international climate funding.
Implications for National and Global Climate Policy
The discontinuation of the U.S. Global Change Research Program marks the end of a significant federal initiative focused on climate change since its founding in 1990. The program has played a crucial role in advancing climate research through billions of dollars in funding, culminating in comprehensive National Climate Assessments.
“ICF has produced assessments riddled with worst-case scenarios, obfuscating the assumptions underlying dire predictions about what the planet will be like in 100 years” – administration.
With the Trump administration’s annulment of ICF’s contract, future prospects for National Climate Assessments appear bleak. The administration’s directive to dismantle federal climate regulations extends to challenging local climate policies perceived to oppose its energy dominance agenda.
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