100 hours of protests against Trump’s climate policy

Today at 1:00 p.m. EST, a unique protest by American scientists began in response to the budget cuts ordered by President Donald Trump. During a 100-hour livestream, climate and weather specialists will defend their positions and highlight the importance of scientific research for public safety.

A scientific response to political manoeuvres

The budget proposal for the upcoming year, presented in April by the Trump administration, includes drastic cuts to federal agencies responsible for climate and weather monitoring. The government’s plan features controversial decisions such as eliminating the scientific division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), along with closing all partner laboratories involved in meteorology.
NOAA’s total budget is set to be reduced by 27 percent, while the National Weather Service (NWS) faces significant staff cuts. The reductions will affect key NOAA branches such as the National Severe Storms Laboratory, which forecasts the most intense storms, and the Meteorological Development Laboratory, which focuses on improving public weather forecasting.

Although the plan targets the 2026 fiscal year, the Trump administration expects the cuts to be implemented as soon as possible. The scientific community has responded with a wave of protests and outrage, culminating in today’s livestream.

100 hours of facts

At exactly 1:00 p.m. local time, the YouTube channel @wclivestream will launch a livestream of presentations by experts in climatology and meteorology. Each will have 15 minutes to explain their work and its importance to American society and the economy. Over the course of 100 hours, the participants will aim to convince the public and decision-makers of the dramatic consequences of turning away from science.

The protest will address not only the reduction of NOAA’s capabilities but also planned budget cuts to NASA and the Department of Energy, as well as overall reductions in academic research funding. The initiative is apolitical and organized by independent scientific organizations.
Climatologist Kate Marvel, who will participate in the livestream, is hopeful about the potential impact of the event. Speaking to CNN, she said it is an excellent way to raise public awareness about how important and cost-effective it is to fund climate research with public money.

Hurricanes don’t respect budget cuts

Trump’s controversial decision coincided with the release of this year’s hurricane season forecast. According to NOAA specialists, America can expect between 13 and 19 major storms, with 6 to 10 of them developing into hurricanes – some of which could reach Category 3 or higher. This is above average, meaning residents in many states have reason to be concerned.

In light of this, cutting funding for centers responsible for forecasting and early warning of severe weather events seems like an own goal. Even more serious are the consequences of undermining the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – the institution responsible for coordinating disaster response. Since the beginning of the year, Donald Trump has publicly questioned the agency’s continued existence, while steadily reducing its budget. As a result, FEMA has already seen a 10 percent reduction in staff, and estimates suggest that by year’s end up to 30 percent of the workforce may lose their jobs.

Commenting on the matter, Democratic Senator from Maryland Chris Van Hollen stated: This plan has nothing to do with efficiency– in fact, it will endanger our communities and leave us more vulnerable to destructive and costly natural disasters.

main photo credit: NOAA