Agovernment watchdog and a climate-science educational nonprofit are calling on the Trump administration to fix what they call “flaws” in the influential National Climate Assessment (NCA). These flaws, according to the groups, include a reliance on unrealistic emission projections, contradictions, and false information on heat waves, hurricanes and wildfires.
The assessment is a Congressionally mandated report that the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) delivers to the president at least once every four years. The report is intended to integrate, evaluate and interpret the scientific findings on the impacts of climate change. Critics and researchers have argued the report has been highly politicized and not always consistent with sound science.
In April, President Donald Trump cut funding and staff at the USGCRP, The New York Times reported, as well as other federal programs, which some scientists say will jeopardize the next installment of the assessment. The USGCRP website now has a banner at the top stating that the group’s operations are “currently under review.”
