USGS Undermines How Scientists Study Climate Change

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that USGS Director James Reilly edited the agency's operational manual to push climate models that ignore worst-case scenarios and limit projection timeframes. Internal reviewers and scientists claim this action violates scientific integrity policies, lacks peer review, and employs 'bad science' that could hamper the government's ability to respond to climate threats.

• USGS Director James Reilly edited the agency's operational manual to promote a climate model methodology that minimizes the worst effects of climate change, including an 'initial assessment range' that ends in 2045 and scenarios described by some scientists as too optimistic.
• This action follows a 2019 order from Director Reilly requiring scientists to limit climate models to the year 2040, contradicting the standard procedure of modeling until the end of the century.
• Top USGS scientists and advisors who conducted a five-day 'fatal flaw review' of the draft chapter 'Application of Climate Change Models to Scientific Investigation and Policy' warned that it would damage the agency's reputation and its ability to conduct impartial, peer-reviewed science.
• Reviewers identified several critical failures in the new manual chapter, including a lack of peer review, insufficient citations, scientific flaws, and a likely violation of the USGS scientific integrity policy.
• Because the USGS Manual establishes bureauwide policies and standards, failure to follow its directives can be categorized as misconduct.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2020). USGS Undermines How Scientists Study Climate Change. https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/usgs-undermines-how-scientists-study-climate-change

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. USGS Undermines How Scientists Study Climate Change. 2020. https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/usgs-undermines-how-scientists-study-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=USGS Undermines How Scientists Study Climate Change |date=8 December 2020 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/usgs-undermines-how-scientists-study-climate-change |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{unionofconcernedscientists2020usgs, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{USGS Undermines How Scientists Study Climate Change}}, publisher = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/usgs-undermines-how-scientists-study-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }