Trump admin moves to dismantle NCAR over alarmism
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- Trump administration accused the National Center for Atmospheric Research of “climate alarmism,” calling its climate work alarmist.
- Trump administration announced in November it would dismantle NCAR, citing the alleged climate alarmism as justification.
- University Corporation for Atmospheric Research sued the Trump administration, alleging a retaliatory campaign against Colorado after Governor Jared Polis refused to pardon convicted election official Tina Peters.
- Waleed Abdalati explained that NCAR conducts broad atmospheric and environmental research—weather, climate, drought, fire, Arctic change—critical for national security, public safety, and the economy.
- Waleed Abdalati rejected the “climate alarmism” label, saying NCAR’s scientists report peer‑reviewed findings and that alarmism is not the goal of their research.
- Jared Polis had not pardoned Tina Peters, a convicted election official, a factor the lawsuit claims triggered the administration’s retaliation.
- Waleed Abdalati warned that undermining climate research hampers the nation’s ability to understand heat‑trapping gases and plan for future challenges, compromising national interests.
Why it matters: The lawsuit argues dismantling NCAR would threaten national security, public safety and the economy, while scientists warn that losing its atmospheric research could weaken the nation’s ability to plan for climate impacts and compromise economic forecasting and disaster preparedness for future.
