15 Years of Defending Science
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.
*Numbers current as of March 31, 2026.
News
Trump Takes a ‘Wrecking Ball’ to Independent Scientific Advisory Board
Kiley Bense | April 29, 2026 | Inside Climate News
The firing of all 22 current members of the National Science Board stands out as one of the darkest moments of Trump’s second term. “They’ve basically taken a wrecking ball to this [board], and we don’t know exactly how they plan to rebuild it, but if history is any indication, they will want to put in very administration-loyal, probably unqualified people,” said Lauren Kurtz, CSLDF Director.
Bad Faith Disregard of Benefits and Science in Federal Environmental Deregulation
Michael Gerrard (CSLDF Board member) | April 26, 2026 | New York Law Journal
If scientific uncertainty was the real reason for disregarding benefits, a good-faith response would be to conduct more research to reduce the uncertainty. Instead, the Trump administration has systematically canceled research programs, closed laboratories, fired scientists, distorted research results, and generally attacked the scientific enterprise.
Resource Highlight
As climate litigation continues to heat up, scientists are increasingly serving as expert witnesses or engaging in other scientific consulting work. These opportunities provide important mechanisms for discrediting anti-science efforts and furthering climate progress.
Our Climate Litigation Toolkit contains legal resources to help scientists mitigate the potential risks associated with this work.
As part of our reflections on 15 years of service, we have asked our board members, friends, and long-standing staff for their insights into what they’ve learned on the frontlines of defending climate science.
“The need for the services of CSLDF has remained constant during our 15-year history. While government-based attacks on climate science and climate scientists lessened during administrations supportive of climate action — the Obama and Biden administrations — attacks from other sources continued unabated. As long as the profits of the richest and most powerful industry in world history — the fossil fuel industry — are threatened, these attacks will continue.”
– Dr. Jeff Masters, Meteorologist & Co-founder, Weather Underground
We remain committed to protecting and defending scientists. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out for a free, confidential consultation with one of our attorneys.