Scientific American’s editors discuss how an upcoming election may shape U.S. climate, environmental, and energy science and policy. In “Election Science Stakes: Climate,” Andrea Thompson, the magazine’s associate editor for sustainability, discusses the relationship between climate science and policy decisions, including how federal priorities and regulatory approaches can affect research and implementation. In “Election Science Stakes: Environment,” Mark Fischetti, a senior editor, focuses on potential effects on environmental science and policy, describing how election outcomes can influence funding, oversight, and the direction of scientific work tied to environmental regulation. In “Election Science Stakes: Energy,” Thompson and Fischetti address how energy research and policy could change, linking future priorities in energy systems and scientific study to the policies selected after the election.
Across the segments, the common theme is that election-driven changes in government leadership and policy direction can alter the environment in which climate, environmental, and energy research is conducted and then translated into regulations and programs.
