London tornado researcher concerned changes at U.S. weather centre could disrupt cross-border research
The recent policy directives issued by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have caused concern among Canadian climate and weather scientists regarding the future of their work. These directives require NOAA staff to submit any scientific correspondence with international counterparts for review, as well as receive senior approval for all upcoming international engagements until the end of March.
David Sills, director of the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) at Western University in London, Ont., expressed worry about the implications of these directives on their collaborative work with U.S. colleagues. The NTP has been working on developing a new enhanced Fujita scale for rating tornadoes in collaboration with NOAA, and the uncertainty surrounding the policy changes raises concerns about the future of their research projects.
Collaboration between Canadian and U.S. climatologists and meteorologists is crucial for advancing research in the field. The data and research conducted by NOAA play a significant role in the work done by Canadian researchers, including those at Environment and Climate Change Canada. While the federal government stated that it had not received official notice of changes to its collaboration with NOAA, the impact of these directives on cross-border research and data sharing remains a point of concern.
The NTP, which does not receive research funding from NOAA, relies on NOAA resources for its work. NOAA manages a network of weather radars and high-resolution weather satellites that are essential for meteorological research. The availability of NOAA data has been a critical resource for researchers, but with the recent push for mass layoffs and budget cuts in U.S. government agencies, the future accessibility of this data is uncertain.
The chilling effect of these policy changes has affected collaborative efforts between Canadian and U.S. scientists, as well as funding opportunities through agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF). The recent layoffs at NSF and the potential implications for research and data sharing underscore the challenges facing the scientific community in light of changing political landscapes.
Despite denials from NOAA officials about orders to stop communication with international counterparts, the uncertainty surrounding the future of cross-border collaboration in climate and weather research remains. As researchers navigate these challenges, the importance of open data sharing and international cooperation in advancing scientific knowledge in the field of meteorology and climatology cannot be overstated.
