Rapid Summary:
- President Trump has dismissed all scientists working on the National Climate Assessment,a congressionally mandated report outlining the dangers of rising temperatures.
- the assessment, viewed as critical for crafting environmental legislation and infrastructure planning, typically involves 400 voluntary researchers from universities and federal agencies.
- Work on the sixth version had started, but it has now been halted with an announcement to reevaluate its scope under the Global Change Research Act of 1990.
- Proposals backed by officials like Russ vought suggest creating a new report that highlights perceived benefits of climate change while downplaying threats; credentialed climate skeptics have shown interest in being involved.
- The U.S. global Change Research Program supporting this effort was defunded earlier in the month, ending its 35-year bipartisan history.
- Scientists criticized this move as an attempt to bury evidence-based research that informs public policy and health; researchers pledged to continue independent efforts despite limitations.
Image Caption: Firefighters monitor flames in Forest Ranch during ongoing wildfires linked to extreme climatic conditions.
Indian Opinion Analysis:
this progress reflects continued global debate over how governments approach scientific consensus on climate change amid political pressures and economic agendas. For India-a nation already grappling with extreme weather events-the sidelining of such assessments could affect international cooperation on environmental policies as data-driven insights become politicized globally. Indian policymakers may need heightened vigilance toward maintaining neutrality when sourcing scientific details for planning their own enduring development efforts or engaging in multilateral agreements like COP summits where diverse perspectives influence decisions directly impacting vulnerable populations worldwide.
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