Climate Research Under Threat
Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe has described the potential dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research as "taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet."
Environmental policy shifts between Republican and Democratic administrations have created a familiar pattern of regulatory changes in the United States. In states like Kentucky, this dynamic has been particularly visible through policies affecting coal mining and power generation.
Historical Policy Reversals
Following President Bill Clinton's implementation of stricter pollution controls on coal-fired plants through the "new source review" regulation, the subsequent administration under President George W. Bush sought to reverse these measures with partial success.
When Barack Obama assumed office, his Environmental Protection Agency introduced numerous pollution reduction initiatives targeting coal-related activities, which Senator Mitch McConnell famously labeled "Obama's war on coal." These measures were subsequently challenged by the Trump administration after the 2016 election.
President Joe Biden's tenure saw substantial climate action through legislative measures like the Inflation Reduction Act and executive orders promoting renewable energy and reducing transportation emissions.
Current Administration's Approach
The current Trump administration's environmental strategy extends beyond conventional policy adjustments. There appears to be a systematic effort to undermine the foundational structures of climate science, including targeting research institutions and scientific personnel.
In alignment with Project 2025 objectives, the administration has moved to restrict funding for climate research programs at agencies like NOAA and NASA. Recent actions include the removal of references to human contributions to climate change from EPA websites.
On December 17, reports emerged that administration officials are pursuing the breakup of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, which they characterized as a "hub for climate alarmism."
Scientific Community Response
Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University, emphasized NCAR's global significance, calling it "quite literally (atmospheric scientists') global mothership." She noted that nearly all researchers in climate, atmospheric science, and weather fields worldwide have benefited from the center's resources.
"NCAR supports the scientists who fly into hurricanes, the meteorologists who develop new radar technology, the physicists who envision and code new weather models, and yes — the largest community climate model in the world," Hayhoe explained.
She concluded that dismantling the institution would fundamentally undermine planetary science comprehension.
Broader Implications
While legitimate debates about climate policy approaches should continue, suppressing scientific inquiry promotes a dangerous philosophy that values ignorance over knowledge. This approach parallels other concerning tendencies to undermine democratic institutions and media freedom.
Eliminating respected global climate research facilities represents more than self-sabotage—it constitutes an attack on evidence-based understanding itself. This situation evokes themes from the satirical film "Don't Look Up," where scientists struggle to communicate urgent threats to an indifferent society.
