LETTERS: Funding for climate change research is needed

To the editor:

As a scientist, I am deeply alarmed by the news that NOAA was asked to supply a list of active climate-related grant funding. This request raises alarms about potential cuts to critical climate research and mitigation efforts. There is no meaningful scientific debate about the reality of climate change, and over 70 percent of adults believe climate change will harm future generations. In the wake of recent natural disasters, climate change risks are clear, and defunding these grants could have severe consequences for human health and well-being.

Climate-related research funded by federal agencies supports climate monitoring, weather forecasting, and cutting-edge science. This research highlights vulnerable resources where the need for intervention is highest and is critical to mounting an effective response to climate change and understanding the potential risks.

Here in Maine, we have recently seen an increase in sea level, leading to coastal flooding and other natural disasters. But other climate-change risks are more subtle. My own master’s research has highlighted how anthropogenic climate change is altering the fall color timing and intensity in the northeast, which could have substantial impacts on Maine’s late fall tourism. Without the data to drive informed policy and decision-making, we leave our coasts and communities vulnerable to climate, economic, and public health disasters, ultimately weakening our national security.

I urge policymakers, scientists, and the public to push for continued federal funding of climate research and, in doing so, reaffirm that scientific research is essential for safeguarding our communities from climate change.

Alexis Garretson
Hampden