A key climate report was scrapped under Trump. Scientists plowed ahead with the research.

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🗞️ Driving the news:

Scientists dismissed from the U.S. National Climate Assessment effort have published new research through an independent initiative led by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the American Meteorological Society (AMS). The project aims to preserve research synthesis that informs climate assessments, following disruption to the federal assessment process under the Trump administration.

🔭 The context: The latest official National Climate Assessment was completed in 2023, and the next is due to Congress in 2027
• The new U.S. Climate Collection’s first paper brings together researchers to identify advances in climate science since the previous assessment and highlight areas requiring further review
• The initiative is not intended to replace the government assessment, but to maintain research that can support future decisions by public authorities and scientific bodies

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Reliable climate assessments help communities and policymakers understand risks from extreme heat, wildfires, electricity outages and other climate-related hazards
• The paper also highlights emerging concerns about the emissions and resource demands of AI and data centres, as well as the need for better regional climate projections and research attributing extreme events to climate change

⏭️ What’s next: The U.S. Climate Collection is expected to provide a platform for further synthesis research, helping inform future assessments at local, national and international levels
• Meanwhile, the status of the Sixth National Climate Assessment remains uncertain, as the White House is yet to respond to questions about its progress

💬 One quote: “Climate science must continue to advance even if it’s not politically favored,” said Costa Samaras, a Carnegie Mellon University professor and lead author of the new paper.

📈 One stat: 175 contributors — the number of researchers who contributed to the first paper in the new U.S. Climate Collection

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