More than 85 climate experts call Energy Department report on greenhouse gases "not scientifically credible" [View all]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: September 2, 2025 / 9:03 AM EDT


An international group of more than 85 climate experts on Tuesday published a 439-page review arguing that a report by the Trump administration's Energy Department fails to "adequately represent the current scientific understanding of climate change," and it "exhibits pervasive problems" by misrepresenting scientific literature and cherry-picking data.

The Department of Energy's 151-page report, "A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate," was written by five authors who were hand-selected by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former fossil fuel executive. It included a controversial conclusion that "carbon dioxide-induced warming appears to be less damaging economically than commonly believed," and it states that "aggressive mitigation strategies" to address greenhouse gas emissions "could be more harmful than beneficial" - a statement that supports the oil and gas industry.

"Climate change is real, and it deserves attention. But it is not the greatest threat facing humanity," Wright said in a statement supporting the report's publication and conclusions.

CBS News reached out to the Department of Energy about the criticisms, but it has not responded.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/energy-department-greenhouse-gas-report-climate-experts/