Key Takeaways:
- The Trump administration plans to dismember the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a global hub for weather, wildfire, and climate science.
- The move is expected to endanger Americans, including those in California, by reducing the nation’s ability to respond to extreme weather events.
- Scientists warn that dismantling the federally-funded science center will lead to job losses and reduce critical research in weather science, climate research, and wildfire behavior.
- The loss of NCAR will have significant implications for public safety, agriculture, and the environment.
- The move is seen as an attack on science and an attempt to undermine the work of researchers and scientists who are working to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Introduction to the Crisis
The Trump administration’s plans to dismember the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) have sent shockwaves through the scientific community, with many warning that the move will have devastating consequences for the nation’s ability to respond to extreme weather events. The NCAR, based in Colorado, is a global hub for weather, wildfire, and climate science, and its research is critical to understanding and predicting weather patterns, wildfire behavior, and climate trends. The move is seen as an attack on science and an attempt to undermine the work of researchers and scientists who are working to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The Impact on California
In California, the loss of the NCAR will have significant implications for the state’s ability to respond to extreme weather events, such as atmospheric river storms and wildfires. The state’s climatologist, Michael Anderson, said that the NCAR has worked with California agencies in the past on projects to improve precipitation predictions and snowpack modeling. The loss of the NCAR will set the nation back in its ability to respond to extreme weather events, and will have significant implications for public safety, agriculture, and the environment. For example, the NCAR’s research on wildfire behavior and smoke exposure has been critical in helping California firefighters and emergency responders to prepare for and respond to wildfires.
The Importance of the NCAR
The NCAR is managed by a nonprofit consortium of 120 colleges and universities, and shares tools, including aircraft and supercomputers, as well as expertise and research vital to understanding and predicting weather patterns, wildfire behavior, and climate trends. The research institution is critical to the nation’s ability to respond to extreme weather events, and its loss will have significant implications for the nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. According to Jennifer Balch, a preeminent fire scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, "Gutting NCAR is putting American lives and property at higher risk of fire, because we’re not going to have the information that we need in order to really understand it and address how fires are increasing in a warming world."
The Reaction from the Scientific Community
The scientific community has been quick to condemn the Trump administration’s plans to dismember the NCAR, with many warning that the move will have devastating consequences for the nation’s ability to respond to extreme weather events. Craig Clements, chair of the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San José State University, said that the next generation of scientists will lose vital training opportunities if the research center is dismantled. The move is seen as an attack on science and an attempt to undermine the work of researchers and scientists who are working to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The Consequences of the Move
The consequences of the Trump administration’s plans to dismember the NCAR will be far-reaching and devastating. The move will lead to job losses, reduce critical research in weather science, climate research, and wildfire behavior, and undermine the nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. According to Wade Crowfoot, California’s Natural Resources Secretary, "Federal data and science and information is critical. What we’re experiencing across the country is this alarming adjustment to the loss of this information — and it’s happening on a weekly basis." The move is also seen as an attempt to line the pockets of Big Oil, and will have significant implications for the nation’s ability to address the impacts of climate change.
The Response from California Officials
California officials have been quick to condemn the Trump administration’s plans to dismember the NCAR, with many warning that the move will have devastating consequences for the state’s ability to respond to extreme weather events. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office called the research "life-saving" and warned that the move will put American lives and property at risk. The state is racing to fill the gaps in funding and personnel left by the Trump administration’s cuts to the federal funding for the California Nevada River Forecast Center, and is working to maintain data, tools, and expertise in the absence of the NCAR. According to Crowfoot, "One that had us scrambling this fall was cuts to the federal funding for the California Nevada River Forecast Center. California’s emergency storm and flood efforts rely on the forecast center to guide decisions such as where to pre-position emergency rescue teams."
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Trump administration’s plans to dismember the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) will have devastating consequences for the nation’s ability to respond to extreme weather events. The move is seen as an attack on science and an attempt to undermine the work of researchers and scientists who are working to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The consequences of the move will be far-reaching and devastating, and will have significant implications for public safety, agriculture, and the environment. It is essential that the scientific community and policymakers take action to prevent the dismantling of the NCAR and ensure that critical research in weather science, climate research, and wildfire behavior continues.
