The Trump admin just hired 3 outspoken climate contrarians. Scientists are worried what comes next

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Trump administration has appointed three prominent climate change contrarians — Steven E. Koonin, John Christy, and Roy Spencer — to advisory roles in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
• The three have a long history of questioning the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming
• Their exact mandates remain unclear, but internal listings show them reporting directly to Energy Secretary Chris Wright
• The hires coincide with administration efforts to weaken climate regulations, dismantle research programs, and potentially rewrite key climate assessments

🔭 The context: All three appointees are high-profile critics of mainstream climate science. Koonin previously served in the DOE under the Obama administration but has since become a vocal skeptic, authoring Unsettled, a controversial book questioning climate models
• Christy and Spencer, both from the University of Alabama, have long argued that satellite data contradicts surface temperature records
• The Trump administration has already cut funding for NOAA climate research, dismissed hundreds of climate scientists, and removed key public-facing climate data portals

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: These appointments risk undermining evidence-based climate policymaking at a critical time for U.S. emissions reductions
• By elevating fringe views, the administration could distort authoritative reports like the National Climate Assessment, weaken the scientific foundation of federal climate regulations, and impede adaptation planning
• Such moves would have far-reaching consequences for U.S. credibility and progress on climate commitments

⏭️ What's next: It remains to be seen whether Koonin, Christy, and Spencer will contribute to an alternative, less rigorous version of the National Climate Assessment or to the EPA’s effort to overturn the 2009 endangerment finding
• These developments could reshape U.S. climate policy and weaken regulatory safeguards
• Climate scientists warn that these actions risk sidelining robust science in favor of politically motivated outcomes, with potential decisions expected later this year as agencies advance revised assessments and rulemakings

💬 One quote: "Hiring Koonin, Spencer, and Christy is not just irregular, it’s a recognition that none of the normal channels would give them the answer they want." — Andrew Dessler, climate scientist, Texas A&M University

📈 One stat: Less than 1% of climate scientists share the contrarian views espoused by the newly appointed DOE advisors, according to expert estimates cited by CNN

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