Climate Impacts Group

Nearly all of Seattle is on sinking ground

Seattle is sinking millimeter by millimeter, and new research shows it’s more widespread — and riskier — than once suspected. Data from the UW’s Climate Impacts Group is referenced. 

Trump administration pulls plug on UW climate research partnership

The Trump administration has pulled funding for a climate research program at the University of Washington that helps communities in the Northwest adapt to extreme heat, drought and other threats from climate change. Occasionally we publish links that are behind a paywall. To request the full article, please email .

CIG Update: Termination of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative

Dear supporters of the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group,

We are deeply saddened to report that the Acting Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Grants Management Division sent a letter on May 5th terminating the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative (NCRC), effective immediately. The NCRC, a NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnership (CAP) program, was the Climate Impacts Group (CIG)’s largest source of funding to work with rural communities and Tribes across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, and sea level rise.

CIG has hosted the NCRC, a collaboration among academic institutions and Tribal- and community-based organizations, since 2021. 

Trump administration dismisses all authors of major climate report, throwing US assessment into limbo

The Trump administration has dismissed all the scientists and other authors working on the next authoritative look at how climate change is affecting the United States, according to an email sent to authors Monday and confirmed by CNN. 

All Authors Working on Flagship U.S. Climate Report Are Dismissed

The move puts the future of the report, which is required by Congress and is known as the National Climate Assessment, into serious jeopardy, experts said. Senior Scientist Meade Krosby is quoted. 

NW CASC Now Accepting Proposals for 2026 Faculty Fellowship Program

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center is now accepting applications for its 2026 Faculty Fellowship Program, a “last-mile” program that funds activities aimed at enhancing the usability of existing research for natural resource managers. The NW CASC invites applications from faculty and non-faculty scientists with primary investigator status at University of Washington, as well as Boise State University, Northwest Indian College, Oregon State University, Portland State University, University of Montana, Washington State University and Western Washington University. The NW CASC 2026 Faculty Fellowship Program funding will run from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. The deadline to submit applications is July 15, 2025. 

UW climate research group braces for Trump cuts – Seattle Times

“President Trump’s plans to gut funding for climate adaptation would take a wrecking ball to critical work being done at UW to protect people across our state from extreme heat and wildfires, help Tribes improve climate resilience, and much more,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement.

Mayor Harrell Issues Earth Day Executive Order to Update Seattle’s Climate Action Plan, Accelerate Emissions Reductions from Transportation

This Earth Day, Mayor Bruce Harrell issued an Executive Order directing City departments to respond to Seattle’s current and future climate challenges with a focus on building resilience, growing a green economy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from transportation. The Executive Order calls for a suite of new actions, meaningfully updating the City’s current Climate Action Plan (CAP) for the first time since its release 12 years ago in 2013. Director Susan Dickerson-Lange is quoted.  

CIG Update: Federal Funding Uncertainty & Potential Program Impacts

Dear supporters of the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, 

We appreciate the role each of you has played in our collective efforts to help make communities, Washington state, and the Pacific Northwest more resilient to extreme weather events, climate variability, and climate change over the past 30 years.  

We wanted to share with each of you an update regarding federal funding for two of our programs: 1) the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative (NCRC), a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funded Climate Adaptation Partnership program, and 2) the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC), a federal-consortium partnership funded by the US Geological Survey (USGS). 

Lakes Region Restoration Project Aims to Link Conservation Lands From Maine to New Hampshire

Conservationists and a logging company will work together to protect Maine’s Magalloway River ecosystem, which offers a rich habitat for brook trout and wildlife. Senior Scientist Meade Krosby is quoted.