Biden White House removes Trump-era scientist from monitoring the climate report

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John Kerry's 'full speed' mission to restore US leadership in the climate crisis

The move is part of a larger effort by the Biden administration to clean the house of President Donald Trump’s political appointees in scientific roles. The EPA recently wiped out the entire scientific advisory board set up by the Trump administration.

Considered a mainstream scientist, Weatherhead believes climate change was a real and serious problem.

She is an atmospheric scientist who was featured by the US Geological Survey at the White House Office of Science Technology Policy under the previous administration and will now return to the USGS, the official said.

The Washington Post was the first to report the transfer.

The move comes because the White House is hosting a climate summit on Thursday and Friday and is announcing 2030 emissions targets for the United States.

Weatherhead was appointed to her role on the National Climate Assessment by Kelvin Droegemeier, who was the director of OSTP under Trump.

An extreme weather expert, Droegemeier was seen by those concerned about Trump’s rejection of climate change as someone who took the threat of climate change seriously within the Trump administration.

While Droegemeier had appealed to Weatherhead, who sees climate change as a legitimate threat, to lead the National Climate Assessment, other officials who took part in the investigation during the Trump administration held the differing views.

In January, CNN reported that Trump-appointed David Legates and Ryan Maue – both senior National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials who had been with OSTP since November – would be investigated by the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General for posting papers denying the climate. change.

CNN’s Rachel Janfaza contributed to this report.

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