The Trump administration has selected a former geochemist who frequently challenges established climate science to lead the federal government's flagship report on domestic climate impacts.
Matthew Wielicki, who describes himself as an "Earth science professor-in-exile," now heads the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) after federal officials downsized the initiative during Trump's second term.
In his new role, Wielicki will oversee the National Climate Assessment (NCA), a congressionally mandated report detailing how environmental changes affect Americans.
Wielicki's Background and Views
Wielicki previously questioned scientific findings on social media, expressing doubt about extreme weather attribution and historical warming data published in past assessments.
"If every extreme weather event ends up being attributed to climate change in one way or another, is it really attribution science ...
or just confirmation bias dressed up as science?" he posted on Thursday.
In 2023, he stated that people who believe in climate science are "being sold snake oil."
On his personal blog, titled Irrational Fear, he argued that increasing solar radiation, rather than carbon dioxide, caused recent atmospheric warming trends.
Wielicki left his post as a geosciences professor at the University of Alabama three years ago, saying the profession was "no longer worthy of my efforts."
He cited the earth science community's silence on what he called the false "climate emergency" narrative as a contributing factor.
White House Response
A White House spokesperson stated that officials remain committed to using high-quality scientific information to guide public policy decisions.
"For too long, the USGCRP has been used as a vehicle for political agendas instead of sound science," the spokesperson said.
"We look forward to restoring the USGCRP and ensuring it fulfills its legal mandate."
Criticism from Scientists
Carlos Martinez, a senior climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, strongly criticized the appointment.
"Our country cannot afford a compromised USGCRP or NCA that peddles politically motivated disinformation echoing fossil fuel industry talking points," Martinez said.
He added that placing the National Climate Assessment under an "utterly unqualified climate science denier" would jeopardize the integrity of one of the nation's most important climate science resources.
The appointment aligns with broader changes to federal climate research infrastructure, including the closure of data-collection programs and changes to scientific advisory panels.
In response, the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union announced plans to produce independent peer-reviewed research to bridge data gaps.
"It's incumbent on us to ensure our communities, our neighbors, our children are all protected and prepared for the mounting risks of climate change," American Geophysical Union president Brandon Jones said.
