Post #1934047

"15 Years of Defending Science This year, the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) turns 15. Since 2011, we have helped over 400 individuals defend against government and institutional censorship, fight industry-funded attacks, and stand up for scientific and climate progress. The numbers have grown year over year, and last year, we helped a record 72 individuals, with 2026 shaping up to be even busier. Meanwhile, we have steadily developed our library of free legal educational resources, which has been accessed by over 16,000 scientists, lawyers, and others since our inception. These achievements are, of course, amidst the dire backdrop of concerted efforts to target science and climate progress, which have become even more aggressive over the past few years. Since its launch in 2018, our Silencing Science Tracker, co-run with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, has documented an astonishing 716 instances of government anti-science actions, of which 160 have occurred since the 2024 election. The types of attacks faced by climate scientists have evolved over the years. Although President Trump and others still refer to climate change as a “hoax,” more and more often, current efforts to thwart climate progress recognize the reality of climate change – and instead use other pretenses to target scientific research or education efforts. This is oddly encouraging: the science increasingly speaks for itself. Another sign of hope is the rising number of scientists eager to engage in science advocacy and speak out against censorship and authoritarianism. And, although we’ve seen more industry-funded attacks in response to growing climate litigation efforts, each success demonstrates that the court is an effective place to fight for our future. There’s no denying that the current situation is grim. But there are glimmers of hope, and at CSLDF, we persist in our 15-year mission of fighting for a better future for climate scientists, their vital research, and our collective human and environmental health." #csldf https://www.csldf.org/donate