Climate change isn’t going away - neither should climate science

By Dr. Gigi Owen, Senior Social Scientist and PCFA Member

I’m writing today to share a bit about the work I do and how it's being directly affected by the current federal administration. The administration's proposed budget is, quite frankly, anti-science, anti-environment, and anti-community. This issue is MUCH bigger than just me, but I hope this message offers a personal perspective on what's at stake with current federal budget negotiations. 

My work is largely funded through federal climate and environmental science programs. Since the 1940s, federal funding for research has made the U.S. a global leader in scientific discovery, technological innovation, and in improving major societal challenges. Walking away from that legacy is a huge disservice to the country, the world, and our shared future.

One of the programs that supports my work is NOAA’s Climate Adaptation Partnerships program, which funds regional climate research across the U.S. I work with the Southwest regional program, called the Climate Assessment for the Southwest, or CLIMAS. I’ve been part of CLIMAS since 2008. It’s where I learned what it means to do science for people and with communities.

Our research is grounded in the needs and priorities of people across the Southwest. It starts with what they actually care about—questions coming from farmers, ranchers, water managers, wildland firefighters, small business owners, city planners and others facing climate impacts every day. We design projects in collaboration with these groups so that the science we produce is useful and relevant. Our work supports real-life decisions about food, water, soil health, housing, transportation, public lands, and keeping people safe from the growing risks of heatwaves, drought, floods, and wildfires in the region.

The administration's proposed budget changes are detailed in this letter from the White House and described further by the New York Times as "Record Low Funding for Domestic Programs" bringing "nondefense funding to its lowest level since the 1960s" (see specific details on cuts to climate programs here). Programs like NOAA’s Climate Adaptation Partnerships—and countless others across multiple agencies—are on the chopping block. The reasons offered for these proposed cuts are untrue and unjustified. Climate change is not a partisan or woke issue—it’s a scientifically documented reality, supported by decades of nonpartisan research and data. Defunding climate science won’t make the crisis disappear—it only makes it harder to respond.

But a bit of good news: while the President can propose a budget, Congress actually decides what gets funded. Your Senators and Representatives have the power to shape what stays and what goes. And this doesn’t just affect science—this proposed budget outlines cuts to public broadcasting, support for small farms and businesses, the arts, health, education, housing, and more.

So call them. Call more than once. Let them know what matters to you—whether it’s climate science, clean water, or arts and cultural institutions. You can find your Representatives and contact information here. Our voices really can make a difference, in this very moment, while budget negotiations are happening.

Photo courtesy of Watershed Management Group