In brief
In light of an abrupt halt to a key environmental study initiated under the Biden administration, over 150 scientists are collaborating to resurrect and publish the National Nature Assessment, originally aimed at evaluating the state of U.S. lands, waters, and wildlife.
The draft of the National Nature Assessment was nearing completion when the Trump administration ended the project via executive order. Phil Levin, the project's director, alerted his team to the termination, but also expressed in a message from his personal account that the findings are "too important to die." This sentiment resonates with the leading authors of the report, prompting them to pursue external avenues for its publication despite prevailing governmental challenges. The assessment was not merely an academic undertaking; it was designed to quantify the health of the nation’s ecosystems and their implications for human well-being. Howard Frumkin, an author of the study, echoed the urgency and necessity of the work, stating there is a unified determination to continue its vital mission, reflecting a growing consensus among environmental experts that the insights offered by the assessment are essential for understanding environmental changes and addressing future challenges. The group of researchers is now actively seeking alternative funding and publication pathways, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring that this crucial work reaches the public despite political headwinds. Their aim is to continue documenting and analyzing how America’s natural resources are faring, and to ensure their findings are disseminated for the benefit of both policymakers and the general public.
