The US government is removing funding support for scientific research that references the climate crisis, amid President Donald Trump’s efforts to reduce environmental regulations and clean-energy development. Researchers have reported that their grants were withdrawn or altered to remove mentions of “climate change” and other related terms.
According to academics, work that specifically mentions climate is being targeted, with some scientists receiving warnings to alter grant titles or descriptions to exclude the term. The move has sparked concern among researchers, who fear that science will be politicized and biased towards specific topics.
The US Department of Transportation withdrew a grant for climate-adaption research after the scientist altered the title to remove the word “climate”. A similar freeze on grants has been imposed by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which supports scientific work in various fields, including climate change.
Critics argue that this approach will hinder research and delay understanding of the natural world. The move has drawn parallels with states like Florida, where Republicans have banned mention of climate change in state laws. Experts warn that such a ban could deter young scientists from pursuing careers in STEM fields and undermine global leadership on climate issues.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/21/trump-scientific-research-climate