No. of Recommendations: 2
Trump Administration Taps Climate Science Critic to Oversee Flagship Report
Matthew Wielicki has criticized the scientific consensus on global warming as alarmist. Now he’ll oversee the federal government’s flagship report on how climate change affects the United States.
OK, he's a climate change skeptic, but we know where this administration stands on science.
Frome Gemini:
**Matthew M. Wielicki** is a former geochemist and professor from the University of Alabama who has been appointed by the Trump administration to lead the **U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)**.
In this role, he will oversee the **National Climate Assessment**, the federal government’s definitive, congressionally mandated flagship report evaluating the impacts of global warming on the United States.
Wielicki is prominent due to a mix of his academic background and outspoken public skepticism regarding mainstream climate science:
### Academic Background & Career Shift
* **Field of Study:** Wielicki is a geochemist who worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Alabama.
* **Resignation:** He voluntarily resigned from his university post in 2023. At the time, he claimed on social media and conservative media outlets (such as Fox News) that speaking out against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and mainstream climate narratives made the academic profession "no longer worthy of my efforts" and labeled it "career suicide."
* **"Professor in Exile":** Following his exit from academia, he began describing himself as an "Earth science professor-in-exile" and has authored a blog titled *Irrational Fear*, where he frequently argues against what he terms "climate alarmism" and "climate catastrophism."
### Views on Climate Change
Wielicki actively challenges the established scientific consensus on global warming:
* He has criticized the concept of a "climate emergency," previously remarking that people who believe in it are "being sold snake oil."
* He has cast doubt on standard attribution science (which connects extreme weather events to climate change), arguing it is often the result of "confirmation bias dressed up as science."
* On his blog, he has posited that regional warming signals may be more heavily driven by increasing solar radiation than carbon dioxide emissions.
### Public and Scientific Reaction
His appointment has drawn starkly contrasting reactions:
* **Supporters:** Trump administration officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have defended the choice, calling Wielicki an "honest scientist who follows the data wherever it leads" and stating that his appointment will help restore the USGCRP by removing what they view as political agendas from previous assessments.
* **Critics:** Mainstream climate scientists and environmental groups have heavily criticized the appointment, highlighting that Wielicki lacks formal training specifically in climate science. Detractors have argued that putting an outspoken climate skeptic in charge of the country's baseline climate report compromises its scientific integrity, with one senior scientist comparing the appointment to "putting a Flat Earther in charge of NASA."
