The IPCC’s latest report is downright grim – Yet climate scientists are still being silenced

ABA | Rachael Lyle-Thompson | September 1, 2023

…Recently, invasive open records requests, defamation lawsuits, and other misuses of the legal system threaten climate scientists’ ability to freely conduct research and openly share it with the public. In my work as a lawyer with the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, I defend climate scientists against this type of harassment, which often comes at great cost to their personal and professional lives. The weaponization of these legal tools—by those whose very intent is to stymie action on climate change—derails scientific work, inhibits the free exchange of ideas, and causes immense levels of stress to climate scientists (and sometimes their families) as they must sideline their research to address these anxiety-inducing legal issues. More significantly, it hinders climate progress at a time when, as this latest IPCC report illustrates, some climate impacts are already so severe that adaptation is no longer possible.