Trump Administration Announces Closure of NCAR Amidst Climate Research Suppression Allegations
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, is set to be dismantled after more than 50 years of climate research. The closure announcement was made on X by Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought described NCAR as "one of the largest sources of climate alarmism."
Critics frame the move as part of the Trump administration's climate Lysenkoism and a systematic purge of climate researchers. This action comes in the context of the Trump campaign reportedly receiving at least $75 million from oil and gas interests, along with pledges to expand fossil fuel exploration and production.
At the American Geophysical Union meeting in New Orleans, participation from federally funded climate scientists has declined, reflecting budget cuts and job losses. Additionally, a July Department of Energy report titled "A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the US Climate," commissioned by Chris Wright, was widely debunked by more than 85 climate scientists and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The Environmental Protection Agency is considering overturning the endangerment finding based on this report.
The administration's efforts have been compared to a Soviet-style campaign to suppress climate knowledge, termed "Project 2025" by commentators. This contrasts starkly with the NAS's findings that the harm from human-caused greenhouse gases is beyond scientific dispute.
