Within the federal government, science — especially climate science — has taken a beating. The Trump administration has moved from climate denial to climate erasure, firing thousands of career scientists across departments, rolling back established landmark protections, and undermining its own authority to regulate pollutants like carbon emissions. Even at the UN General Assembly, Trump referred to green energy as a “scam” and said climate science came from “stupid people.” 

But climate scientists aren’t all taking it lying down. From former EPA researchers to independent academics, many are heroically maintaining open-access databases and continuing fundamental research like the National Climate Assessment without the administration’s blessing.

Guests: 

Brandon Jones, President, American Geophysical Union

Wes Ingwersen, Lead, Cornerstone Sustainability Data Initiative

Rachel Cleetus, Senior Policy Director, Climate and Energy, Union of Concerned Scientists

For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction

3:23 - Brandon Jones on how the Trump administration has treated science

6:35 - Brandon Jones on what’s next for scientists who were laid off

10:58 - Brandon Jones on continuing to collect climate data  

13:18 - Wes Ingwersen on the creation of USEEIO

22:24 - Wes Ingwersen on how EPA changed when Lee Zeldin took over

31:24 - Wes Ingwersen on when EPA employees decided to speak out

37:31 - Wes Ingwersen on taking his work to Stanford 

42:28 - Rachel Cleetus on DOE climate report 

51:27 - Rachel Cleetus on agency staff cuts

60:40 - Rachel Cleetus on how the scientific community is responding 

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