Dear reader,
Introduction IMAU newsletter March 2025
International politics suddenly came very close this month. I read on LinkedIn that a former colleague from my time as postdoc in Miami, who had just landed a federal job with NOAA, has been laid off by DOGE. Others are not allowed anymore to engage with non-US climate scientists. The IPCC AR7 meeting last month took place without US participants.
The attack on climate science in the US is unacceptable and extremely worrying. As climate scientists, we can and should urgently stand up in support of our US colleagues.
But where does that leave us as individuals? How can we cope in these highly turbulent and uncertain times?
At IMAU, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committee has launched a series of sessions for master’s students, PhD candidates, and postdocs, providing a safe space to share feelings, emotions, and anxiety brought on by these uncertain times. This series builds on a warm and inspiring EDI potluck dinner last month, where IMAU colleagues brought and shared food from their cultural background or personal culinary expertise. This gives me hope.
And there is more reason for hope. In my research on public engagement and science communication, I investigate trust in science. That trust in science is and remains very high. A recent study across 68 countries found that most people trust scientists. According to the Rathenau institute, academics are the most-trusted group in Dutch society. Last month, almost 90% of the Dutch people we polled found climate change an important topic.
As Rutger Bregman says: most people are decent. The vast majority of people want a better, more equitable and fair society, and trust scientists to work towards that. If only the decent people were more listened to.
That is why I am hopeful about the Dutch National Citizen’s Climate Council. Because it gives a voice to the quiet, decent majority. And I trust that these decent people come up with good climate policy plans. Because many soft voices can be more vocal than those of a few loud-mouthed potentates.
Erik van Sebille