Trump Removes Head of Climate Science Report

The White House has Removed the Head of the Program that Produces the Federal Government's most Definitive Scientific Report on Climate Change.

Michael Kuperberg had worked as Executive Director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which Produces the National Climate Assessment (NCA). Kuperberg had run the USGCRP since 2015 and was Expected to Remain there until the Fifth Edition was Completed in 2023. Kuperberg indicated his Work Ended Nov. 6th and that he was Heading back to the Energy Department.

The Move comes just Days after the White House tapped Betsy Weatherhead to Lead the Sweeping Climate Study. Weatherhead joined the U.S. Geological Survey after Working at Climate Analytics Firm Jupiter Intelligence.

Kuperberg’s Reassignment is the Latest in a String of High-Level Personnel moves to Remove Officials deemed Insufficiently Loyal to Trump after his Re-Election Loss. Earlier on Monday Nov. 9th, Trump Fired Defense Secretary, Mark Esper. On Friday Nov. 6th, Neil Chatterjee was Removed as Head of The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chair after Advocating for Opening Up Markets to Renewable Sources and Exploring Carbon Pricing.

Congress Requires the Federal Government to Produce Updated (NCA Reports, the Authoritative Government-Wide Report on Climate Change, every few years. It is Produced by the USGCRP, which Coordinates Contributions from 13 Government Agencies.

The most recent Edition, the Fourth Version, was issued in 2018, and despite Concerns that Trump Administration Pfficials would Tamper with its Findings, was widely Praised as Accurately portraying the Threat posed by Climate Change.

Kuperberg's Departure comes in the wake of the Trump Administration hiring of David Legates, an Academic at the University of Delaware who has written that "carbon dioxide is plant food and is not a pollutant," to a Newly Created Political Position at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Much of the Work on the Next Assessment will take place during the Biden Administration, but Trump Officials might still Influence the Report in its remaining Months. Nov. 14th marks the Deadline for Author Nominations, and a New Executive Director could Push for the Program to Select Nominees that have Views more Aligned with Trump's on Climate Change.

But NOAA Chief Scientist, Ryan Maue, another recent Trump Appointee, said he imagined Weatherhead would continue on as the Climate Assessment Lead, and noted the Incoming Biden Administration could make Changes. “The election obviously changed the calculus on a lot of things," Maue said.










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