Dr Petra Heil

A YouTube link for those looking for it. No words.

youtu.be/btqHDhO4h10?...

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...

A choice without choice?
Is democracy alive?

Photo of a marine terminating glaciers. Text overlaid on photo "Media Training for Polar Early Career Scientists | Interested in learning how to talk about your research to journalists and the media? Join us to learn what makes science newsworthy from CIRES’ Science Communications Editor on January 29, 2026 9 am AKT | 11 am MT | 1 pm ET ". Photo by Clément Cherblanc.

Join PSECCO and @cires.colorado.edu for a media training designed for polar early career scientists. Register on the events page of our website: psecco.org/events!

From @pdynes.bsky.social on X.

A scenario one needs to consider.

Great reflection of Emma, her outstanding contributions and her potential. Looking forward for those who are inspired by Emma's work and ethos to step up and build on her vision.

Using spatio-temporal information fom an ocean-sea ice model to unravel distibution patterns of of cornerstone species in the Southern Ocean. Groundbreaking work by Denisse Fierro-Arcos. ⬇️

The @wcrpclimate.bsky.social - @ipcc.bsky.social co-sponsored workshop on high impact events and tipping points concluded on Friday - and only today for some of us! Really good work from a great number of colleagues. The workshp report will be published soon here www.wcrp-climate.org/wcrp-ipcc-2025

The COPs in a nutshell

Delegates in Paris

Day #3 of the WCRP/IPCC Workshop on Earth System High Impact Events, and Tipping Points and their Consequences.

Tofay we clarify definitions, evidence and methodology to be taken into the #IPCC-AR7 Lead Author Meeting.

@wcrpclimate.bsky.social
@ipcc.bsky.social
@bas.ac.uk
@aspectsouth.bsky.social

Day #2 of the WCRP/IPCC Workshop on Earth System High Impact Events, and Tipping Points and their Consequences.

@wcrpclimate.bsky.social
@ipcc.bsky.social
@bas.ac.uk
@aspectsouth.bsky.social

Our work for today is cut out. ⬇️

How can you manage a dam, a flood, or a hydroelectric plant if you have no information or data?

You can’t.

Under the Baku Dialogue framework, WMO is responsible for science-based support to advance water for climate action.

Find out more here:

🔗 https://bit.ly/4rcaRb0

Opening of the joint WCRP-IPCC workshop on Earth system high impact events, tipping points and their consequences.

Placing French context for effect of extreme events on lifes n livelihoods by local ministry n IPCC Focal Point.

🌍 UNSG António Guterres: “Adaptation finance must be prioritised — LDCs have the biggest financial & moral authority to demand it.” He said during a high-level meeting with LDCs Ministers led by Dr. Jean Mathanga (MW) & others - Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia

#COP30 #AdaptationFinance

Today, the new LDC 1.5 Mission is born!
✅ Endorsed by LDC Ministers in Belém, Brazil
✅ Now, the 4th LDC initiative alongside LUCCC, REEEI, and LIFE‑AR.
💡 Goal: Keep political momentum alive to keep 1.5 °C within reach.
🔋 Focus: Raise resources, tech & capacity‑building.

#COP30 in extra day - Adaptation finance is nowhere near what vulnerable nations need. This is the red line for LDCs. We need strong LDC Fund replenishment & a commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2030. Immediate 1.5 °C action required.

#LDCs #ClimateAction

The article follows an open letter to world leaders from leading polar scientists & organisations, stating "the evidence is unequivocal: the cryosphere is destabilising at an alarming pace."

@bepsiiseaice.bsky.social @scar-antarctic.bsky.social @catchscience.bsky.social

www.landclimate.org/...

"These changes threaten water supply and infrastructure for billions of people"

@leti-polar.bsky.social, @zoraur0ra.bsky.social, and @pxh.bsky.social warn that the Earth’s frozen regions are approaching irreversible tipping points, and call for urgent action at COP30: www.landclimate.org/...

There is an opportunity for true leadership. Will there be takers? The only way forward is to invest into the future, business as usual will not buy anyone any time.

For anyone currently in #Belem for #COP30 strolling down the river on your rest Sunday thinking I really fancy a spot of science and storytelling... I will be speaking (and floating!) at sunset (6.30 pm) on the Guama River about polar ice loss and the global ocean in a warming world. Come and join!

S6B is about to be launched tomorrow. Stay tuned for more sea-surface height, wave height and wind speed plus other observations.

#Freilich 🛰

We cannot air condition our way out of the heat crisis.

Many cooling methods add planet warming emissions, in-turn increasing cooling demand.

But solutions exist to make cooling more sustainable & affordable: www.unep.org/news-and-sto...

#COP30

All nations committed under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degC for good reason. Instead many governments are beholden to the fossil fuel lobby and even subsidize fossil fuel use with your money. We’re now at 1.4 degC & emissions are rising not falling.
unfccc.int/process-and-...

www.latimes.com/environment/...

First, "SBSTA" chair introduced draft conclusions on "research & systematic observation" (RSO = climate science)

This is effectively finalised text

* supports "integrity of climate info"
* welcomes IPCC update
* concern over climate system / obs networks

But…

unfccc.int/sites/defaul...

Bangladesh:

"disappointment that the text does not substantially reflect the crucial information presented during the 'Earth information day'"

"deeply concerned about the consistent attempt to weakening the reference of the IPCC as the provider of the best available science."

EU

"This is the COP of truth and any attempt to push back on the importance of the best available science, as assessed by the IPCC, is an attack to the essential information needed by us all, to protect ourselves and this planet"

Canada

"We also want to express our disappointment with the text not reflecting some of the most up to date data and science findings, and the text not highlighting that the role of the IPCC has the best available science, we would like to reiterate the importance of science for this process."

UK

"We are deeply concerned that RSO was not able to highlight the role of the IPCC as the best available science, or that it was not possible to capture vital scientific observations of the state of the climate…The evidence shows that we haven't yet reached 1.5C, but time is running out."

New Zealand

"We do want to express our deep concern that we could not reach consensus on highlighting the role of the IPCC as the source of the best available science, or…on this being, the past 11 years have been the warmest on record and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events."