America’s Climate Denialism: A Call for Global Action
For nearly 25 years, the US government’s National Climate Assessment (NCA) has been one of the most comprehensive analyses of global warming and its effects on human health, the economy, and the environment. Its data and insights have guided policy decisions, especially as climate-related disasters like wildfires and storms have grown more frequent.
However, under the Trump administration, this vital scientific foundation faced unprecedented dismantling. Hundreds of scientists working on the latest NCA were dismissed, and the official website hosting the reports was taken down. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced plans to “update” the studies, but his long history of climate change scepticism raises doubts about the integrity of such revisions. Trump allies have even criticised the NCA for being “too broad” in its climate assessments.
Trump’s presidency saw the US withdraw twice from the Paris Agreement and consistently undermine or dismiss scientific research linking greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to public health hazards. His administration weaponised budget cuts to weaken scientific agencies and promoted climate denialism as official policy. Just before Wright’s announcement, the Department of Energy released a report downplaying climate risks, selectively citing the “benefits” of carbon dioxide while ignoring its role in worsening extreme weather events.
The cancellation of the NCA is a serious setback for global climate action. As the world’s largest economy and second-largest GHG emitter steps away from its climate responsibilities, the leadership gap grows wider. At a time when urgent, coordinated global action is needed, other nations and institutions must rise to the challenge, strengthen climate science, and drive the fight against one of the greatest crises of our time.
