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Climate Science Is ‘Unstoppable’
May 6, 2025
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Drugs and Tariffs
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A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration technician collecting air samples on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, in 2023.Credit...Erin Schaff/The New York TimesTo the Editor:
Re “Trump Expels Scientists Working on Climate Report for 2028” (news article, April 30):
I’m 73 years old. If there were a scientific test — or a crystal ball — that could tell me when I will die and what major precautions I could have taken to suffer less before I die, would I want to know?
Maybe not.
But for our grandchildren’s future health? The answer is yes.
One of President Trump’s mantras remains “drill, baby, drill” — for more petroleum to be burned to further pollute and degrade the climate, the environment and human lungs.
Now the president has dismissed hundreds of volunteer scientists and other experts who compile data to create the National Climate Assessment, as mandated by Congress.
We’ll see whether Republican members of Congress stop Mr. Trump’s anti-science crusade or continue putting their heads in the sand. Because unless they act immediately to begin reversing man-made climate change, there’s going to be a lot more sand — for all of us.
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Reggie Regrut
Phillipsburg, N.J.
To the Editor:
The Trump administration recently dismissed hundreds of scientists volunteering their time and expertise to produce the next National Climate Assessment, the most trustworthy and comprehensive source of information about how global warming is affecting the United States.
A changing climate, a changing world
Card 1 of 4
Climate change around the world: In “Postcards From a World on Fire,” 193 stories from individual countries show how climate change is reshaping reality everywhere, from dying coral reefs in Fiji to disappearing oases in Morocco and far, far beyond.
The role of our leaders: Writing at the end of 2020, Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States, found reasons for optimism in the Biden presidency, a feeling perhaps borne out by the passing of major climate legislation. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been criticisms. For example, Charles Harvey and Kurt House argue that subsidies for climate capture technology will ultimately be a waste.
The worst climate risks, mapped: In this feature, select a country, and we'll break down the climate hazards it faces. In the case of America, our maps, developed with experts, show where extreme heat is causing the most deaths.
What people can do: Justin Gillis and Hal Harvey describe the types of local activism that might be needed, while Saul Griffith points to how Australia shows the way on rooftop solar. Meanwhile, small changes at the office might be one good way to cut significant emissions, writes Carlos Gamarra.
Imagine being a passenger on a ship journeying across the North Atlantic in springtime and learning that the captain had just dismissed all lookouts because he refuses to believe the overwhelming evidence of the existence of icebergs.
Patrick Hamilton
St. Paul, Minn.
To the Editor:
Re “Two Scientific Groups Say They Will Keep Working on National Climate Assessment” (news article, May 5):
As the civil engineer quoted in this article reminds us, “science is unstoppable.” This has been a mantra in the scientific community and in the country for decades. The United States has proudly led the way in so many areas of scientific research. It is a source of genuine national pride.
But the clear lack of respect for science by President Trump and his administration is beyond disheartening. It is extremely dangerous.
The looming threat of the climate crisis is very real and cannot be eliminated with a bold pen stroke. As more emissions accumulate in the atmosphere, we all face the threat of more and more serious climate issues. These disasters can be very costly — in terms of lives, livelihoods and the funds required for recovery.
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Kudos to the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society for continuing this work in the face of extreme opposition and helping to keep the climate communication door open. It is essential.
Sally Courtright
Albany, N.Y.
Vietnam-Era Exiles From the U.S.
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Credit...Ruth Fremson/The New York TimesTo the Editor:
I was gratified to read “They Fled a Torn U.S. Long Ago,” by Ruth Fremson (news article, May 4).
It’s important to recognize and understand why people would make such a drastic move and leave their home country when faced with a situation they can’t accept. The Vietnam War created such a situation.
In writing “Hell, No, We Didn’t Go!,” I interviewed more than 100 men and women who resisted the Vietnam War and the draft. Many of those I spoke to chose to move to Canada and contribute to its society.
Fifty years later, not one of them regrets the move, regardless of how difficult it might have been initially. Today, they look back and know they made the right decision.
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I thank The New York Times for reporting on this aspect of the war.
Eli Greenbaum
Vancouver, British Columbia
Drugs and Tariffs
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Ozempic packages at a Novo Nordisk factory in Hillerod, Denmark.Credit...Charlotte de la Fuente for The New York TimesTo the Editor:
Re “E.U. Pharmaceutical Industry Is Facing Painful Choices” (front page, April 28):
Tariffs will only exacerbate the escalation in the cost of common lifesaving drugs, and reduce their availability, and that will put patients at risk. It is irresponsible to affect political and economic policy when people’s lives are at stake.
This is a moral issue. The health of society should not be jeopardized by the whims of a vindictive, unethical and cruel administration.
Cheryl L. Kunis
New York
The writer, a nephrologist and bioethicist, is a professor emerita of clinical medicine at Columbia University and the director of national issues for the New York chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program.
A version of this article appears in print on May 7, 2025, Section A, Page 23 of the New York edition with the headline: Climate Science Is ‘Unstoppable’. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
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