News | Monthly Update

July Update: It’s hot. Really, really hot.

It’s hot. Really, really hot: last week, temperatures hit 129°F in California, 126°F in Northwest China, and 18 days and counting above 110°F in Arizona.

This is not a fluke. It’s well established that oil and gas companies knew decades ago that fossil fuel consumption is responsible for the warming of our planet; their response was to actively engage in a war of misinformation to deceive the public and protect their bottom line.

And as the public understanding and acceptance that climate change is real and is caused by human activity continues to grow, these corporations have shifted their approach to include directly and indirectly attacking climate scientists and their research.

At CSLDF, we help scientists facing abuse, harassment, and other forms of intimidation at the hands of anti-science forces. From 2021 to the present, about a third of our clients have come to us seeking help with abusive open records inquiries; nearly a quarter have had concerns about how engaging in climate activism had or could affect their employment or research. We’ve also helped many scientists who have had their work censored by government or industry entities that seek to silence the scientific endeavor to fit political or financial agendas.

Fighting back against these abuses is necessary to protect the scientific endeavor, safeguard vital climate research and, ultimately, address climate change – and we can’t do it without our supporters.

Pie chart showing a breakdown of the type of issues CSLDF helps scientists face. 1st Amendment 5%, Censorship 19%, Harassment and Death Threats 9%, Open Records Requests 33%, Scientific Advocacy 24%, Other 10%


CSLDF News

New White House Scientific Integrity Policy Adopted by OSTP

July 13, 2023 | CSLDF Blog | Rachael Lyle-Thompson, CSLDF Senior Project Attorney

On June 22, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced that it adopted its own scientific integrity policy for the first time in history. CSLDF commends OSTP for finally adopting a policy to protect government science – and setting an example for other federal agencies, who are expected to follow suit later this month with new or updated scientific integrity policies of their own.


Our Summer Match campaign continues

Summer is well underway, and has brought with it record-breaking heat waves, flooding, air quality alerts… and has been one of our busiest summers since CSLDF began in 2011. Even while homes are burning, people are being evacuated, and lives are being lost – anti-science forces continue to stymie climate progress through legal intimidation and harassment.

Supporters like you are vital to keep pace with the growing number of scientists who need legal counsel and protection. CSLDF remains the only non-profit offering this critical service to both public and privately-employed climate researchers.

Every dollar you donate now will be matched 2X, making your donation go twice as far to help us support climate science and scientists at this critical time.

Please, if you can, make a donation to CSLDF today – and take a stand for science.


CSLDF is now on Threads! Follow us at @ClimSciDefense.

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