National Climate Policy; Absence of Common Sense

In a total flip in national policy and in an absence of common sense as national policy, President Donald Trump and his administration have undertaken sweeping immigration crackdowns indiscriminately targeting American residents with valid visas who are also highly skilled workers.  That has resulted in a significant national brain drain resulting from the Trump Administration’s targeting the dismantling of Federal research, and all climate science related undertakings and solutions.

The biggest damage is to the slowdown in the import of talent which reduces America’s ability to have the kinds of scientific and commercial breakthroughs which allow the US to address climate change and grow the economy.

Trump policy impacts have recently focused on cutting climate science and related research, including advancing clean energy climate mitigation solutions across all national sectors of the economy. These impacts are systematic and are a full throttle national transition away from science and common sense.  The nation’s progress transitioning into highly successful and globally clean energy economy is now in jeopardy.   According to the founder of Khosla Ventures, Trump is placing the nation at a global disadvantage with inescapable consequences.

Gretchen Goldman, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said Donald Trump’s administration has enacted “far more” attacks on science in the past six months than he did during his entire first term.

Paul Schramm, chief of the CDC’s climate and health program, said he and other reinstated employees have “no clue” why they were laid off in the first place and then brought back.  Schramm said funding for the climate science program only remains in place through October, and getting back to work has been a bumpy transition due to restrictions and logistical challenges.  Schramm further added that climate and health program workers were among roughly 400 CDC employees who, after being fired in April, were subsequently brought back about a month ago. The reinstatements also included workers at the agency’s asthma and lead poisoning prevention programs.

Ford is responding to Trump and a full retreat in key scientific areas addressing global heating. For Ford the company response to the present national policy reversal on climate and clean energy progress has been to continue to focus on making electric cars cheaper in the US, even after the administration moved to scrap purchase incentives of up to $7,500. “If we’re really going to get into that … more significant majority – rather than the early majority – affordability is going to play into that,” Bob Holycross, Ford’s  chief sustainability, environment and safety officer.

High prices remain one of the largest obstacles to electric vehicle adoption, and analysts drastically reduced EV sales estimates after Congress’ decision to junk federal incentives and a suite of other policy supports.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials who were laid off and subsequently reinstated have “no clue” why, according to Paul Schramm, chief of the agency’s climate and health program

Europe, the Middle East and India are among the potential beneficiaries from an outflow of international climate science and technology workers from the US.

Canada, France and Germany are among nations already offering incentives, including relocation packages to US-born researchers, as they take advantage of a present US policy jettisoning scientific and technology talent in widespread cuts linked to Federal agencies dependent on climate funding.

Breaking News

The Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday that it would eliminate the agency’s scientific research arm and begin firing hundreds of chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists, after denying for months that it intended to do so.

The EPA’s research arm has been specifically targeted for closure,along with the firing of hundreds of biologists, chemists, toxicologists, and other scientists whose work helps determine safe pollution levels for regulations.

The announcement comes after months of denials from EPA administrator Lee Zeldin that he planned to close the division in question, the Office of Research and Development, which studies the threat from climate change, toxic chemicals, and air and water pollution on human health, and funds university research programs.  The move further underscores how the Trump administration is forging ahead with efforts to slash the federal workforce and dismantle federal agencies with specific agency missions designed to address national environmental and global climate impacts.

The administration decision came quickly after the GOP-controlled  Supreme Court allowed these plans to proceed while legal challenges unfold. Government scientists across all Federal agencies have been particular targets of the administration’s policy enacting large-scale government layoffs without due consideration of the social and scientific impacts to the America.