The National Nature Assessment, a collaborative project involving over 150 experts, is facing an uncertain future after President Trump's order to discontinue the effort. However, scientists are united in their determination to finish the report outside of government constraints.
Efforts Intensify to Revive Groundbreaking Nature Report Despite Administration Hurdles
Efforts Intensify to Revive Groundbreaking Nature Report Despite Administration Hurdles
Environmental scientists rally to complete a critical assessment of the U.S. natural landscape, halted by executive order from the Trump administration.
The draft was nearly finalized, slated for submission in under a month. A diverse group of over 150 scientists and specialists had dedicated countless hours to what was to be the first comprehensive examination of the state of America's natural resources. However, the initiative was abruptly halted by President Trump through an executive order, putting the fate of the project in jeopardy.
On January 30, Phil Levin, the project’s director and environmental scientist, informed his team via an email that their work had ceased. Concurrently, he reached out to the report's contributors, declaring in his personal correspondence, "This work is too important to die. The country needs what we are producing."
In response, leading authors of the National Nature Assessment have begun exploring methods to finish and publish the report independently. “There’s an amazingly unanimous broad consensus that we ought to carry on with the work,” remarked Howard Frumkin, a professor emeritus at the University of Washington, who was overseeing a chapter focused on the impact of nature on human health and well-being.
The study's objective was to evaluate the current conditions of the nation’s land and water, predict future changes, and understand their implications for the American populace. Despite governmental setbacks, the commitment of these scientists underscores the urgent need for clarity on the state of the environment in the United States.
On January 30, Phil Levin, the project’s director and environmental scientist, informed his team via an email that their work had ceased. Concurrently, he reached out to the report's contributors, declaring in his personal correspondence, "This work is too important to die. The country needs what we are producing."
In response, leading authors of the National Nature Assessment have begun exploring methods to finish and publish the report independently. “There’s an amazingly unanimous broad consensus that we ought to carry on with the work,” remarked Howard Frumkin, a professor emeritus at the University of Washington, who was overseeing a chapter focused on the impact of nature on human health and well-being.
The study's objective was to evaluate the current conditions of the nation’s land and water, predict future changes, and understand their implications for the American populace. Despite governmental setbacks, the commitment of these scientists underscores the urgent need for clarity on the state of the environment in the United States.
