For more than seven decades, the United States has played a leading role in climate change research. In the 1950s, researchers at the University of California documented rising carbon dioxide levels and established a long-term CO2 monitoring system. Norman Phillips at the Institute for Advanced Studies developed the first computer model of global climate. The U.S. launched three major climate modeling centers: NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in 1955, now based in Princeton; the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder in 1960; and NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City in 1961.
By 1965, President Johnson’s Science Advisory Committee warned that humanity was “unwittingly conducting a vast geophysical experiment” with potentially “deleterious” consequences. In 1990, Congress created the U.S. Global Change Research Program to improve understanding of these changes and to find ways to protect health and economic interests.
Federal support for global change research increased as climate change became a more immediate concern. Funding grew from about $1 billion in 1990 to $2.6 billion per year during the 2010s, reaching $4.3 billion by 2023. Agencies such as NASA and NOAA have produced key records on atmospheric changes, sea level rise, greenhouse gas emissions, and other indicators. These investments have supported efforts like city flood protection planning, agricultural decision-making for farmers, and hurricane preparedness for communities.
The press release also highlights ongoing work by scientists who are responding to recent challenges facing climate science under new political leadership.
The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University is noted for its achievements in related fields. According to its official website, the school operates as part of Rutgers University and has been recognized through its Hall of Fame since 2013 and annual achievement awards dating back to 1994. The school advances social impact through research centers focused on areas such as community development, transportation, health, workforce development, and energy policy (source). It has earned national rankings including third place for its graduate urban planning program and fourth place for its undergraduate public health program (source). The institution emphasizes fostering just, socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and healthy communities locally and globally (source). Stuart Shapiro became dean of the school in 2023 (source).
“It’s easy, looking at the past year, to see the damage the administration has done,” one statement reads from the press release. “But researchers are also stepping up, trying to fill the gaps.”