Aug. 22, 2017 – The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) remains highly concerned about the disregard for scientific advisory groups in the U.S. federal government, most recently as relates to the National Climate Assessment.
The August 20 decision by the Trump Administration to not renew the charter for the Sustained National Climate Assessment Federal Advisory Committee is yet another example of the administration’s increasingly blatant attempts to ignore and dismiss scientific information.
At the interface of science and society, the federal government and its research agencies play a critically important role. The capacity to understand and effectively address important policy issues depends on access to relevant scientific and technical expertise. Scientifically accurate information builds the foundation for public policies that promote the well-being of people and communities.
Scientists will continue to produce vetted, peer-reviewed climate science data, and collaborate within and outside of the United States in order to document the many ways that climate change is affecting our world, our environment, and our health.
AAAS and the scientific community continue to welcome opportunities to work with Trump Administration agency heads, members of Congress and their staff, and other policy leaders at all levels of government that seek to understand and utilize scientific evidence to inform policy. We anticipate that there will be increased opportunities to work with state, local, and international governments who are actively seeking and using scientific information in order to respond to climate change in their communities.
— Rush Holt, chief executive officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science, as well as Science Translational Medicine; Science Signaling; a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances; Science Immunology; and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes nearly 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For additional information about AAAS, see www.aaas.org.