Bay Area Researchers’ Report on Environmental Inequities Stifled by Trump Administration: A Call for Accountability

In San Francisco, Chris Field leads Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment. His work focuses on key environmental issues. Meanwhile, across the Bay, Professor Chris Schell at the University of California tackles environmental inequalities affecting urban communities. Together with researchers from around the country, they’ve put in long hours on a groundbreaking report called the “National Nature Assessment.” However, just before their first draft was due, they received some unexpected news.

Field explains, “I learned about it from Bill Levin, the director of the National Nature Assessment, who called me. He informed me that the report was being canceled.” This sudden decision came just days before the scheduled release and was a part of a broader shift in environmental policy following the Trump administration’s executive orders, which affected various environmental programs.

Schell expressed the heartbreak felt amongst the research team: “We’re all trying to understand why this happened.” The National Nature Assessment aimed to cover a wide range of topics, including climate change and public health. Schell described it as a way for academics to contribute positively to society, helping communities find balance with nature and between themselves.

Field emphasized that this assessment was vital. “For the first time, it would highlight nature’s value,” he said. It aimed to illustrate how nature helps filter greenhouse gases, protects watersheds, and provides shade. He noted that without recognizing this value, our understanding of environmental resources remains incomplete.

Despite the cancellation, the news spread quickly, leading to offers of support for publishing the report outside of government channels. Both Field and Schell believe it’s essential to find a way to capture national attention for this important work.

Field stated, “I’m eager for this information to be available. We need to keep pushing the government to act.” He believes the scientific community needs a collaborative approach with the government on this issue for it to gain traction.

Hope remains, as the urgency of climate change pushes the conversation forward. “Knowledge is power,” Schell reminds us, reflecting on the importance of their mission. Some researchers also point out that the National Nature Assessment could be required by law, which mandates the federal government to regularly update the public on global environmental changes.

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