Stand up for ocean science and public safety
This week brought alarming news that demands our immediate attention and action. The Trump administration has announced plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a decision that poses a direct threat to ocean health, coastal communities, and the climate science that underpins everything we work to protect.
What is NCAR and Why Should Ocean Advocates Care?
The National Center for Atmospheric Research is the research backbone behind nearly all U.S. weather and climate forecasting. Working with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), NCAR supports a consortium of over 130 colleges and universities with approximately 830 staff dedicated to advancing our understanding of Earth's systems—including our ocean.
NCAR develops the scientific models that power forecasts from NOAA and the National Weather Service, issuing 1.5 million forecasts and 50,000 severe weather warnings every year. These aren't just numbers—they're the early warnings that help coastal communities evacuate before hurricanes, that protect fishermen from dangerous storms, and that track ocean temperatures critical to marine ecosystems.
Two of NCAR's landmark systems—the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the Community Earth System Model (CESM)—have been foundational to atmospheric and ocean science globally for decades. These tools cannot simply be "moved" or outsourced. The expertise and infrastructure have been built over generations and are deeply integrated into national and global forecasting systems.
The Ocean and Coastal Impacts
For those of us working to protect ocean health, this decision is catastrophic.
Nearly four in ten Americans live near the coast, and their lives depend on the scientific tools NCAR provides. Coastal economies, marine-based industries, and the communities we serve cannot function without accurate ocean research and climate modeling.
The U.S. fishing industry alone supports 2.3 million jobs and generates $321 billion in sales. These jobs and the ecosystems they depend on require accurate, science-based forecasts of ocean currents, marine temperature trends, and climate patterns. Dismantling NCAR puts all of this at risk.
In 2024, the United States experienced 27 separate billion-dollar climate disasters, contributing to nearly $1 trillion in climate-related damages. As ocean temperatures rise and extreme weather intensifies, the demand for fast, accurate forecasts is only growing—yet the administration is choosing this moment to dismantle our capacity to respond.
A Public Safety Nightmare
The Trump administration has already caused significant damage to NOAA through mass firings and forced layoffs, with an estimated 27,000 cumulative years of expertise lost. Dismantling NCAR now is like cutting power to an already-strained emergency response system.
When hurricane forecasts are delayed or less accurate, coastal communities can't evacuate in time. When ocean condition predictions fail, fishermen and maritime workers face unnecessary danger. When climate models become unreliable, we lose our ability to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and coastal habitats.
America's Scientific Leadership at Stake
NCAR's models are used around the world, supporting diplomatic efforts and building capacity in countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Dismantling this institution creates a global scientific vacuum that competitors like China are ready to fill, threatening U.S. leadership in climate science and ocean governance—areas where American innovation has long led the way.
What We're Asking You to Do
The science is clear, and the American people have made it clear: we need climate solutions, not reckless sabotage that endangers our health, safety, and economies.
We need your voice to amplify the importance of NCAR and demand that the Trump administration stop this effort to dismantle one of our nation's most critical scientific institutions.
Take action now:
Contact your senators and representatives and urge them to oppose the dismantling of NCAR
Share information about NCAR's importance on social media using #SaveNCAR
Connect this issue to ocean health and coastal protection in your networks
Educate your communities about why atmospheric and ocean research are inseparable
Additional resources and news coverage:
The Bottom Line
This isn't just about climate research in the abstract. It's about whether fishing communities can safely go to work. It's about whether coastal towns get enough warning before the next hurricane. It's about whether we can continue tracking ocean acidification, warming waters, and the health of marine ecosystems that billions of people depend on.
The Trump administration is putting our safety, our economy, and our future on the line to carry out political revenge against climate science. We cannot let that happen.
Our ocean deserves better. Our coastal communities deserve better. Science and public safety must prevail.