Scientists shouldn’t have to face pressure or harassment from political figures or institutions—but too often they do. Our experts expose attacks on science across the country.
April 29, 2020 11:23 AM EDT
As an occasional contributor to broadcast news on topics such as climate change and the role of science in policy, I rarely find myself commenting on the hot-off-the-press issue of the day. Experts like me are brought on when the news cycle slows, an intelligent sideshow to add gravitas while the real pundits get frothy about the latest political snub or personality gaffe. We are the warm-up act, like an author doing a reading before a concert; we’re more like a PSA than a feature. Read more >
April 13, 2020 4:42 PM EDT
If COVID-19 can teach us anything, it is this: having the best science, data and analysis available to and used by government decisionmakers is not only important—it can be a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, the United States EPA apparently has not learned this lesson. Tomorrow, the Union of Concerned Scientists is convening a nationwide virtual public hearing on the EPA science rule. The hearing will give anyone who wishes to speak the opportunity to do so, and UCS will submit a transcript to the administrative record before the EPA, which will require EPA to review and respond to substantive arguments that speakers make. Read more >
April 10, 2020 2:26 PM EDT
For weeks, the White House coronavirus response press briefings have been a dangerous exercise of misinformation. And now the White House is retaliating against media outlets that don’t carry the White House press briefings in their entirety by preventing those outlets from speaking with CDC experts. Read more >
April 7, 2020 4:47 PM EDT
The first three months of 2020 provided an immediate and terrible demonstration of what can happen when an administration ignores and misrepresents evidence on a threat to public health, in the form of a rapidly mounting death toll from COVID-19. Despite the pandemic, the Trump administration pushed ahead with a dangerous rule at the Environmental Protection Agency. Advocates are pushing back against damaging actions while highlighting the value of transparency and whistleblowers. Read more >
April 3, 2020 12:54 PM EDT
If the EPA won’t do its job, we will do it for them. Read more >
