Anxious scientists brace for Trump’s climate denialism: ‘We have a target on our backs’
Anxious scientists brace for Trump’s climate denialism: ‘We have a target on our backs’
Experts express anxiety – and resilience – as they prepare for president-elect’s potential attacks on climate research
Summary
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting revealed widespread anxiety among U.S. scientists over the potential return of Donald Trump, whose climate denialism and attacks on science funding have heightened fears of job cuts, censorship, and further politicization.
Trust in scientists has declined, with increasing partisan divides and threats against researchers. Scientists face a growing need to combat misinformation while balancing advocacy with impartiality.
Despite challenges, many vow to continue promoting evidence-based policies, seeing the fight for science as transcending political cycles.
This determination persists even as climate impacts worsen and public trust in science erodes.
“I want us to get back to a point where scientists are seen as the establishers of facts rather than arguing for policy. We need to get back to a situation where we have a shared set of facts.”
Good luck with that. There are too many scientists out there, and I use the term loosely, that are pumping out lies left and right because they can make a fast buck. There's no way for a layman to tell the difference between legitimate research and the crap spewed out by groups funded by far right think tanks. The waters are well and truly muddied and I don't see how we can undo this.