National Academies of Sciences resisting pressure to pull climate info

Judges often face cases that rely on complex scientific data, which can be daunting given their varied educational backgrounds. To aid in this challenge, the Federal Judicial Center has partnered with the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) to create a reference guide addressing a range of scientific and medical topics commonly encountered in court. Now in its fourth edition, the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence has become a focal point of contention, particularly due to the inclusion of a new chapter dedicated to climate change. This chapter aims to equip judges with the necessary knowledge to navigate cases related to federal environmental regulations and allegations against fossil fuel companies for ignoring significant climate warnings. The introduction of this chapter did not sit well with certain Republican legislators. A group of attorneys general from Republican-led states issued a letter demanding the removal of the climate change section, leading to the Federal Judicial Center's decision to publish a revised version of the manual without it. However, the NAS, responsible for the manual's production, continues to host a copy with the climate chapter in its extensive library. Following their success with the judicial branch, the same attorneys general shifted their focus to the NAS, urging the organization to eliminate the chapter in a letter dated February 19. They argue that the NAS is engaging in “one-sided advocacy” and has developed a reputation as a partisan entity. The concerns raised by these attorneys general center on the chapter’s authors and reviewers, who assert that human emissions are a key factor in global warming and advocate for significant reductions in emissions. This stance aligns with the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The chapter also references legal experts involved in climate-related lawsuits, further emphasizing the necessity of expert insight on this critical issue.