In a sweeping and controversial move on April 28, the Trump administration dismissed nearly 400 scientists working on the National Climate Assessment (NCA) a congressionally mandated climate report considered vital for shaping U.S. environmental and infrastructure policy. The decision has cast serious doubt over the upcoming 2027 NCA edition, which now faces both funding and staffing uncertainty.
The National Climate Assessment, last published in 2023, has long served as a scientific backbone for government agencies, city planners, and industries adapting to climate risks. Its models look decades ahead, forecasting everything from sea level rise to extreme weather patterns, and helping communities make informed decisions. With its latest edition reporting over $1 billion in extreme weather damages, many experts argue it’s more essential than ever.
The abrupt dismissal has triggered a wave of concern within the scientific community and prompted emergency action. Two of the country’s leading scientific organizations the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU) announced a joint effort on Friday to collect and preserve research that would have contributed to the now-jeopardized report.
“We are filling in a gap in the scientific process,” said AGU President Brandon Jones. “It’s more about ensuring that science continues.”
AMS former president Anjuli Bamzi emphasized the forward-looking role of the NCA, saying the projections are critical for long-term planning. “We can’t be an ostrich and put our head in the sand and let it go,” she warned.
Leading climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe from Texas Tech University, who has served as a lead author on three past NCA reports, stressed that the report’s real value lies in day-to-day decisions. “People don’t realize climate change affects everything from where flood zones are drawn to what size pipes we install in our cities,” she explained.
Despite the NCA being required by a 1990 federal law, the administration claims the report is under “reevaluation.” Insiders point to a preliminary budget that outlines deep funding cuts and a dismantling of key offices responsible for the report’s creation.
The move mirrors President Trump’s history of climate skepticism. He previously dismissed the 2018 NCA report during his first term and has consistently denied the scientific consensus on climate change. Most recently, his administration also pulled the U.S. out of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) discussions, distancing the country from global scientific cooperation.
The 2023 NCA had warned that climate change was not only affecting infrastructure and economies but also had deep repercussions on mental, physical, and community health. It cited worsening extreme events, food and water insecurity, and the spread of vector-borne diseases among its top concerns.
With the fate of the 2027 report now hanging in the balance, researchers and environmental advocates fear the U.S. could lose its ability to anticipate and prepare for worsening climate impacts effectively flying blind into a hotter, more volatile future.