Timon McPhearson

Conveniently forgotten.

@ipcc.bsky.social AR6 SPM C.3 :

"Hard limits to adaptation have been reached in some ecosystems (high confidence). With increasing global warming, losses and damages will increase and additional human and natural systems will reach adaptation limits (high confidence)."

Biodiversity isn’t only protected in parks and policy documents, it is defended on the ground by communities and social movements, often at great personal risk.⁠
⁠
Study by ICTA-UAB & IBEI shows that 40% of socio-environmental mobilizations take place in the world’s most important biodiversity areas

This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.

www.nature.com/immersive/d4...

You just saved NASA's budget Here's what Congress rejected of the draconian cuts faced by NASA in FY 2026.

In good news, your advocacy for science funding is paying off! Congress has just rejected the massive cuts to NASA's 2026 budget.

(Sadly, they didn't include a provision for saving @ncar-ucar.bsky.social but we use this win to keep fighting!)

Scientists call for 'systems reset' to redefine sustainable development A new international study calls for a fundamental reset in how humanity understands and pursues sustainable development. The article is published in the journal Communications Sustainability.

ICYMI: an international team has developed a new framework for understanding sustainable development. Instead of separating nature, society and economy, David Obura and co. propose a model that positions nature as the foundation.

E.P.A. Says It Will Eliminate Its Scientific Research Arm

loser stuff thread www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/c...

People will get sicker. More people will have heart attacks and lung disease and other health challenges because of pollution. People’s lives will get worse, and shorter. People you know. Maybe me. Maybe you.

Trees might be doing more for air quality than we thought Researchers find that microbes on tree bark can alter greenhouse and toxic gases, shaping climate and air quality beyond leaves alone.

Trees might be doing more for air quality than we thought #EarthDotCom #EarthSnap #Earth

It appears there is no withdraw process for @ipcc.bsky.social, participation in which is voluntary, free and open to all UN and WMO members. So the Trump administration’s supposed withdraw means less than their June firing of all the staff of the State Dept’s Office of Global Change

A map of the US with each 2025 billion-plus dollar weather and climate disaster geo-located on it. Source: Climate Central

After the US admin cancelled the $B Climate + Weather Disaster dataset, @climatecentral.org hired the scientists who ran it and set it back up.

Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes.

More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...

Trump withdrawal from bedrock UN climate treaty raises legal questions Trump said that the U.S. would withdraw from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

"Because the U.S. entered the UNFCCC with advice and consent of the Senate in 1992, it’s our legal view that it also must be exited using the same process in reciprocation... Letting this lawless move stand could shut the U.S. out of climate diplomacy forever"
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Or just AI.

NSF pares down grant-review process, reducing influence of outside scientists Memo cites overburdened staff, but some say move also aims to elevate White House priorities

“The changes permit as few as one outside review rather than the current minimum of three, end the routine use of expert panels to discuss those individual reviews, and give program managers greater authority to recommend which proposals should or should not be funded.”

It’s simply not possible to overstate how important NCAR is to US and world science. We need to fight this with everything we’ve got.

You thought the pictures from last night were incredible? Look at this!

thoughts and prayers to everyone in Jamaica today. stay safe!

Nature-Positive Cities :From Global Frameworks to Local Action

Talking Nature Positive Cities and preview of our launch for the NATURA Global Roadmap for Urban Nature-based Solutions tomorrow at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Join us if you are in-person or registered online. Exciting work ahead! iucncongress2025.org/programme/na...

Trump Seeks to Cut Basic Scientific Research by Roughly One-Third, Report Shows

"By most metrics, 2025 has been the worst year for the American scientific enterprise in modern history". The result - we are "essentially ending America’s longstanding role as the world leader in science and innovation,” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...

just nuts!

Jane Goodall was an inspiration to anyone who wants to see good happen on this planet. Advocating to the very end, she spoke to us as a Planetary Guardian at NYC Climate Week just last week! An irreplaceable voice helping show the value of all nature.We miss you Jane www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...

Redefine how the world measures progress!
🌍🧑‍🌾🌽🌎🌴🐬🌏🚵‍♀️🍄🌐👍

Join the Global Expert Consultation to develop
The Nature Relationship Index (NRI) @undp.org

<15 mins to make a difference
anu.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
> Deadline: Oct 15, 2025
> Background: rdcu.be/etpiQ

me too! there is hope in New York City!

When It Rains, It … Is ‘Terrifying’

Quotes get shortened (fine), but the point is that cities, governments, NGOs, individuals - ALL -must move from shock, concern, and worry to action that radically scales up adaptation and resilience investments to be better prepared for extreme rainfall and flooding www.nytimes.com/2025/09/06/s...

Here’s the simple truth that Donald Trump doesn’t want you to know:

Climate change is making extreme weather disasters more frequent and severe.

If we do not get our act together, this will only get worse.

E.P.A. Is Said to Draft a Plan to End Its Ability to Fight Climate Change

Trump administration is going to go after the "endangerment finding" that's the basis of pretty much all federal climate regulation. A huge gift to the fossil fuel industry and a "screw you" to the world.

📰 Just out in @pnas.org special issue: @timonm.bsky.social + 23 authors synthesize 60+ reviews & global regional knowledge on urban #NatureBasedSolutions.

🔗 Read more: buff.ly/jGfYSqO
#UrbanSustainability #NbS #PNAS

📰 Just published in @pnas.org special issue: @loandhi.bsky.social + @timonm.bsky.social offer 4 levers for transformative urban adaptation through #NatureBasedSolutions.

Read: buff.ly/FXggzzN
#NbS #PNAS #ClimateResilience

📰 Just out in @pnas.org special issue: @nfrantzeskaki.bsky.social , Katinka Wijsman, Nadja Kabisch, and @timonm.bsky.social explore how #NatureBasedSolutions can support just urban transformations.

🔗 buff.ly/1eEhcBx
#NbS #UrbanJustice #UrbanSustainability #PNAS #JustTransitions

35. EPA preparing to revoke endangerment finding, in spite of all evidence that climate change does indeed endanger human welfare (July 23, 2025)

Amid Fear of Retaliation, N.S.F. Workers Sign Letter of Dissent In a public letter, employees of the National Science Foundation accused the administration of politicizing the agency and impeding scientific innovation.

"A Proposed Budget Cut That Would Cripple American Science." --Amid Fear of Retaliation, N.S.F. Workers Sign Letter of Dissent. Story by @alexaroblesgil.bsky.social Gift link: nyti.ms/3IFzGKJ