Following the Trump administration's efforts to silence climate change reports, a consortium of scientific societies has stepped up to compile and publish research in a bid to keep the flow of crucial information unimpeded. Despite legal requirements, the US National Climate Assessment was halted, with funding cut and authors dismissed. In response, the American Geophysical Union and American Meteorological Society launched the ‘US Climate Collection’, inviting researchers to contribute peer-reviewed papers to a central repository.

The first submission, authored by 175 scientists, is now part of this collection. This paper, published in two leading journals, serves as a roadmap for future contributions. Assessment reports, such as those produced by the US and the IPCC, synthesize thousands of scientific papers to provide summaries that are both accessible to non-scientists and highly cited by researchers. These reports are essential for planning and policymaking, offering critical insights into climate trends and their impacts.

The move to compile such reports through peer-reviewed papers rather than a single coordinated report reflects the evolving landscape of climate research. While the US Global Change Research Program and the IPCC provide comprehensive assessments, the new initiative allows for a more dynamic and flexible approach, potentially enhancing the relevance and applicability of the information for various stakeholders.

This effort underscores the enduring importance of climate data and the need for continuous, transparent, and accessible research. As the scientific community takes up the mantle, it can only be hoped that political obstacles will not hinder the progress of climate understanding and action.