Fund US Weather & Climate Science

The United States has long been a world center for climate and weather research. We have pushed the scientific bounds of what humanity thought was possible by pioneering computerized weather and climate forecasts, by furthering our understanding of the physics of our world, and by deploying an unparalleled observational network. Thanks to this work, we can now predict both the future weather conditions days in advance and the impact of carbon pollution over the coming decades. This revolution in science was made possible by decades of investment by the American public, and it has benefited everyone: from farmers to city planners, from first responders to businesses, and many more.

Federal funding pays for our meteorologists at the National Weather Service (NWS); for our scientists improving our understanding of weather and climate at NOAA, NASA, NSF, DOE, EPA, USGS, US Forest Service, and other federal agencies; and for the observational programs supported by all these agencies that keep these predictions grounded in reality. The severe funding cuts and complete elimination of programs in the FY2027 Presidential Budget Request undermine our ability to continue our research to protect American lives and livelihoods.

Much of the weather and climate science in this country, and around the world, depends on the observations, models, computing infrastructure, and organizing of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, often called NCAR. The federal government is planning to dismantle NCAR, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have stated they are doing so not because the science NCAR does is incorrect, but because it can be used to argue for policies the government does not like. This action will cost American lives, and will also make American life cost more – according to the American Academy of Actuaries, the price of owning a house will go up if insurers can’t use NCAR’s products to price future risks.

This is just one of many examples of politicians interfering with your federally funded science: for example, the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, was fired in April. The OMB has also been slow-walking the release of congressionally-approved funds to NSF and NASA.

Congress must support weather and climate research for prediction and communication of day-to-day weather, extreme weather events, and climate change by fully funding NOAA, NASA, NSF, EPA, USGS, and Department of Energy (DOE). The House and Senate CJS committees are currently discussing FY27 appropriations and making these important decisions. Now is the time to make your voice heard.

Content for this call topic kindly provided by the Weather & Climate Livestream.