Featured Stories
FFRF Action Fund: 'Theocratic' Dan Patrick Claims State/church Wall Doesn't Exist
MADISON, Wisconsin, July 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on July 2, 2026:
* * *
'Theocratic' Dan Patrick claims state/church wall doesn't exist
The FFRF Action Fund names Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as its "Theocrat of the Week" for presenting the Religious Liberty Commission's draft report attacking the constitutional separation of state and church to President Trump. During the presentation,
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, July 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on July 2, 2026:
* * *
'Theocratic' Dan Patrick claims state/church wall doesn't exist
The FFRF Action Fund names Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as its "Theocrat of the Week" for presenting the Religious Liberty Commission's draft report attacking the constitutional separation of state and church to President Trump. During the presentation,Patrick falsely claimed that separation of state and church does not exist in the U.S. Constitution and that the Left has used the principle to persecute Christians.
Last week, during an event hosted inside the Oval Office, Patrick presented the Religious Liberty Commission's draft final report to Trump, declaring, "No president in our history has stood more for God than this president. He has been unashamed to speak the word of Jesus. He's been unashamed to speak up for all faiths." The commission is chaired by Patrick and is made up almost entirely of evangelical Christians, except for one Orthodox rabbi.
Patrick said that the president's supposed fight for religious liberty is "one of [Trump's] greatest legacies" and that Trump is "the perfect president to be here in the 250th celebration of the nation's birth."
In his presentation, Patrick defined religious liberty as "that little voice inside of us that tells us right from wrong. It's that voice that, when we're in trouble, we can talk to in our quiet moments. It's that voice when we feel unloved and alone that can comfort us through a higher power."
"When governments can take away your religious liberty, they're putting their hand in your heart and taking everything you believe in," Patrick continued. He then referenced the 103 handpicked witnesses the commission heard from during its seven hearings, declaring that their testimonies showed "one constant theme: The overwhelming majority of our witnesses said they were attacked and punished, and what was used against them was one phrase that's not in the Constitution, and that phrase is 'separation of church and state.'"
"The Left has used that one phrase that was one line out of one of hundreds of letters by Thomas Jefferson to batter and hammer people of faith for the last 70 to 80 years," Patrick declared. "And this report will speak very clearly that we want to be sure Americans understand they cannot be attacked by that phrase any longer."
Patrick urged public officials to stop using the phrase, saying, "The separation of church and state is not in the Constitution, and from this day forward, if anyone says that to you and they're in public office or serve in any agency in official capacity, they have to point out exactly where you have violated the Constitution because you have not."
"And from this day forward, that phrase should have no power over people of all faiths ever again in America," Patrick concluded.
During the commission's final hearing earlier in June, Patrick similarly snubbed state/church separation, saying, "It is time to set the record straight: There is no such thing as 'separation of church and state' in the Constitution. For too long, the anti-God Left has used this phrase to suppress people of religion in our country."
The commission's 224-page report focuses almost exclusively on allegations of religious persecution of evangelical Christians, ranging from instances of Covid-19 vaccine mandates to restrictions on religious displays in public schools. The report's official two-page summary opens with a quote from Trump: "We're bringing back religion in our country, and we're bringing it back quickly and strongly--because for America to be a great nation, we must always be one nation under God."
The report's summary highlights testimonies of a doctor being indicted for "blowing the whistle" on "gender mutilation surgeries," a mother claiming school authorities were making their child believe that they were transgender and a Navy SEAL losing his pension for refusing to comply with a vaccine mandate.
The summary also details the commission's 12 key recommendations, which include instructing the Department of Justice to "issue guidance clarifying the proper understanding of the Establishment Clause and separation of church and state," in a clear effort to rewrite years of state/church history long affirmed by the DOJ. Other recommendations include issuing "Know Your Rights" posters for students, healthcare workers and military members; nominating federal judges "with the courage to decide religious liberty cases"; repealing the Johnson Amendment; and creating a "Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty and First Freedom Hero Awards."
The commission's recommendations would require either executive action or legislation passed by Congress before taking effect. The commission has opened its draft report for public comments through Monday, July 12. Comments may be submitted by email to RLC@usdoj.gov using the subject line: PUBLIC COMMENT - [TOPIC OR CHAPTER NUMBER] - [NAME].
The commission was established by Trump in May 2025 to "identify emerging threats to religious liberty, uphold Federal laws that protect all citizens' full participation in a pluralistic democracy, and protect the free exercise of religion." Patrick was first named "Theocrat of the Week" for joining the commission as its chairman.
Patrick, alongside the rest of the so-called Religious Liberty Commission, is attempting to reinterpret American history to erase a longstanding constitutional principle that he doesn't agree with. The FFRF Action Fund asserts that Christian nationalism is found nowhere in our Constitution and should not be favored over settled constitutional law and our secular democracy's rich state/church history.
* * *
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/theocratic-dan-patrick-claims-state-church-wall-doesnt-exist/
[Category: Sociological]
FFRF Action Fund: 'Secularist' Congressional Freethought Caucus Leads Timely State/church Resolution
MADISON, Wisconsin, July 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on July 2, 2026:
* * *
'Secularist' Congressional Freethought Caucus leads timely state/church resolution
The FFRF Action Fund salutes the Congressional Freethought Caucus (CFC) its "Secularists of the Week" for leading a resolution reaffirming state/church separation ahead of Independence Day, as the Trump administration works overtime
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, July 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on July 2, 2026:
* * *
'Secularist' Congressional Freethought Caucus leads timely state/church resolution
The FFRF Action Fund salutes the Congressional Freethought Caucus (CFC) its "Secularists of the Week" for leading a resolution reaffirming state/church separation ahead of Independence Day, as the Trump administration works overtimeto erase America's secular history during its 250th anniversary.
A press release from Huffman's office explains the resolution's intent: "As the United States prepares to celebrate its Semiquincentennial, the resolution recognizes the nation's long tradition of protecting religious liberty through a secular government, celebrates America's growing religious diversity, and rejects efforts to use the power of government to impose any one religious belief on the American people."
Huffman's office noted that the resolution "comes at a pivotal moment," following the Trump administration's Religious Liberty Commission report calling for policies that would weaken th constitutional separation between state and church.
"Last week, Trump's so-called Religious Liberty Commission released an absurd report launching a direct attack on one of America's greatest constitutional achievements: the separation of church and state," Huffman said. "The Constitution doesn't belong to Christian nationalists, and it doesn't belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to all of us, and its promise of religious freedom protects every American, regardless of what they believe."
Raskin said, "Our Founders rebelled against centuries of state-controlled churches, religious warfare, Crusades, inquisitions, witchcraft trials, and other expressions of religious authoritarianism to create a secular Constitution. As we mark America's 250th anniversary, our resolution is a necessary reminder to guard religious freedom, one of our nation's founding principles, from those seeking to destroy it by using the government to impose white Christian nationalism."
The resolution calls on the House of Representatives to continue "to uphold the founding principles that have allowed each individual to practice their own version of belief, or lack thereof," and to "oppose any theocratic impulses that would undermine fundamental American freedoms." It also "reaffirms the United States' 250-year commitment to a secular Constitution that protects religious freedom, religious pluralism, and democratic self-government."
The resolution draws on longstanding constitutional precedent and the writings of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington and other founders in their resolution to "underscore that religious freedom flourishes when government remains neutral in matters of faith."
The resolution is led by Freethought Caucus co-chairs U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md. Many of the resolution's co-sponsors are CFC members, including Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Gil Cisneros, D-Calif., Sean Casten, D-Ill., Emily Randall, D-Wash., Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-District of Columbia, Julia Brownley, D-Calif., Lizze Fletcher, D-Texas, Val Hoyle, D-Ore., Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Mark Pocan, D-Wis., Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif. The resolution is also endorsed by many organizations supporting state/church separation, including the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Read the full resolution here (https://huffman.house.gov/imo/media/doc/cfc_resolution_reaffirming_church-state_separation3.pdf).
The FFRF Action Fund warmly thanks the Congressional Freethought Caucus for its continued leadership in safeguarding our secular democracy from the Trump administration's rampant Christian nationalism.
* * *
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/secularist-congressional-freethought-caucus-leads-timely-state-church-resolution/
[Category: Sociological]
Environmental Defense Fund: Trump EPA Stacks Science Panel With Chemical Industry Insiders
NEW YORK, July 3 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release on July 2, 2026:
* * *
Trump EPA stacks science panel with chemical industry insiders
EDF Statement from Sarah Vogel, Senior Vice President, Healthy Communities
-
(Washington, D.C.) Yesterday President Trump's EPA announced new appointments to its Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals, the expert panel that peer-reviews the agency's chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
"EPA's independent science advisors play an essential role in ensuring the agency's decision-making is grounded
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 3 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release on July 2, 2026:
* * *
Trump EPA stacks science panel with chemical industry insiders
EDF Statement from Sarah Vogel, Senior Vice President, Healthy Communities
-
(Washington, D.C.) Yesterday President Trump's EPA announced new appointments to its Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals, the expert panel that peer-reviews the agency's chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
"EPA's independent science advisors play an essential role in ensuring the agency's decision-making is groundedin science. Stacking the agency's Toxic Substances Control Act Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals with representatives from the chemical industry is yet another way the Trump EPA is putting special interests over Americans' health and safety. The Toxic Substances Control Act relies on this committee to help shape the science-backed protections that keep us safe from chemicals that cause chronic diseases, cancers and fertility issues. Many of these committee members have deeply conflicting interests and well-documented histories of being paid to downplay the risks of toxic chemicals, or are directly employed by companies with a financial stake in weakening chemical protections.
"The appointment of Michael Dourson, who has spent his career at the helm of firms that have taken money from the tobacco industry and dozens of chemical companies to undermine public health protections, is the definition of a conflict of interest. During the first Trump administration, Dourson was forced to withdraw his nomination to head EPA's toxics office in the face of mounting bipartisan opposition to his long history of working with the chemical industry to erode protections from the worst toxic chemicals, like PFAS, trichloroethylene and 1,4-dioxane.
"This is a blatant attack on the scientific independence and integrity that the Toxic Substances Control Act requires to protect public health from toxic chemicals."
- Sarah Vogel, Senior Vice President, Healthy Communities
* * *
With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/trump-epa-stacks-science-panel-chemical-industry-insiders
[Category: Environment]
Environmental Defense Fund: Solar Project Brings More Clean Energy to Culebra Residents in Puerto Rico
NEW YORK, July 3 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release:
* * *
Solar Project Brings More Clean Energy to Culebra Residents in Puerto Rico
Community solar initiative provides reliable electricity to 15 families who depend on medical and specialized equipment
-
Environmental Defense Fund announced a new community-based solar initiative in Culebra that will provide clean and reliable energy to 15 families who rely on electricity to operate life-sustaining medical and specialized equipment.
"We remain committed to advancing greater energy security in Puerto Rico.
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 3 -- The Environmental Defense Fund posted the following news release:
* * *
Solar Project Brings More Clean Energy to Culebra Residents in Puerto Rico
Community solar initiative provides reliable electricity to 15 families who depend on medical and specialized equipment
-
Environmental Defense Fund announced a new community-based solar initiative in Culebra that will provide clean and reliable energy to 15 families who rely on electricity to operate life-sustaining medical and specialized equipment.
"We remain committed to advancing greater energy security in Puerto Rico.This is especially important now that the hurricane season, which began last month, is underway," said Daniel Whittle, Associate Vice President, Resilient Caribbean, Environmental Defense Fund.
The systems, installed by Power Solar, include rooftop solar panels paired with battery storage. During power outages, these systems enable families to continue operating essential medical equipment while also keeping medications properly refrigerated - providing much-needed relief for families with special medical needs.
"Initiatives like this not only provide immediate relief but also demonstrate the power of collaboration between community groups and nonprofit organizations - a meaningful step toward greater local energy resilience and community self-sufficiency," said Abimarie Otano Cruz, EDF Senior Manager for Energy Transition and a resident of Culebra.
As an island municipality, Culebra faces unique challenges. Its electric system is more vulnerable, repairs following severe weather events or grid failures are more difficult to coordinate, and response times are often longer than on Puerto Rico's main island. The project was carried out in partnership with the local organizations Mujeres de Islas and Foundation for a Better Puerto Rico, with support from Banco Popular and the Lowenstein Foundation.
These 15 households join the 45 families previously served through EDF's pilot solar project in Culebra, expanding access to clean, reliable energy solutions across the island municipality.
EDF remains committed to identifying effective and equitable energy solutions that can deliver clean, affordable, and reliable electricity to communities throughout Puerto Rico while meeting the everyday needs of families and strengthening the island's resilience to climate change. In Puerto Rico, EDF's work focuses on advancing community-driven solar-plus-storage projects in Culebra and supporting a coalition of organizations working to drive systemic transformation of the island's electric system. EDF takes an integrated approach, combining technical expertise with experience in energy reform and sustainable financing to help develop long-term solutions to Puerto Rico's energy challenges.
* * *
With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/solar-project-brings-more-clean-energy-culebra-residents-puerto-rico
[Category: Environment]
Climate Change May Prop Up Urban Plant Growth in the Face of Development -- Provided Cities Build Slowly Enough
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release:
* * *
Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development -- provided cities build slowly enough
Researchers find a "critical speed limit" of urban development for maintaining plant communities amid climate change. Most cities blow right past it.
-
Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: these only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuel
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release:
* * *
Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development -- provided cities build slowly enough
Researchers find a "critical speed limit" of urban development for maintaining plant communities amid climate change. Most cities blow right past it.
-
Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: these only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuelfaster plant growth, limit plants' water loss, and extend growing seasons -- enough so, in some cases, to offset the paving-over of green spaces in cities.
From 1982 to now, a new study finds, cities converting more than about 5.83 square kilometers (2.25 square miles) of land to impervious surfaces within their boundaries each year tended to see the total productivity of their plant communities decline. But in slower-developing cities, the ecosystem retained its ability to recover from land conversion, with climate conditions invigorating the remaining greenery enough for overall plant productivity to rise.
The offsetting effect doesn't apply equally in every climate. But knowing when and where it kicks in could help planners adjust the pace of development to conserve city greenery in the context of climate change, the researchers hope. Urban plants keep city air clean and cool, support city ecosystems, capture carbon dioxide and generally make cities more pleasant to live in.
"The speed of city growth matters. If cities expand too fast, they lose green land faster than plants can benefit from warming and higher carbon dioxide," said Han Chen, an urban ecosystem scientist at Tianjin University and lead author of the study. "Slower and smarter growth can help cities keep stronger vegetation and better climate benefits."
The study will appear Thursday, July 2nd in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, AGU's journal for research on the biogeosciences of the past, present, and future Earth.
Cities, don't grow up too fast
Overall plant productivity in most cities drops as humans replace parks, lawns, farmland, wetland and patches of urban forest and grassland within city limits with buildings and pavement, canceling out any benefits the plant community as a whole might derive from warmer, more carbon-rich air due to climate change. Chen's team wanted to know whether a city's development rate affects how easily that canceling-out occurs.
"Previous studies mainly looked at one city or a few cities and often focused on the past," Chen added. "We wanted to study many cities around the world [and] include both past and future changes."
Accounting for the elevated carbon dioxide levels found in most cities, the researchers used a vegetation model and satellite observations to simulate plant productivity from 1982 to 2100 in 2,126 cities around the world, each with more than 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) of pavement and buildings to ensure they were covering the bulk of the global urban environment. The simulations considered various future scenarios of urban development and low, medium, and high greenhouse gas emissions.
Collectively, the cities in the study overshoot the team's "speed limit," developing an average of over 21 square kilometers (8 square miles) within their boundaries each year and climbing. North American and Asian cities build especially fast, averaging 26.6 and 35.8 square kilometers per year, respectively. Of the cities studied, 1,713 showed declining plant productivity, with Shanghai, Chongqing, and New Delhi emerging as notable hotspots.
But some cities fall below the threshold, mostly in Europe: In Giffnock, Scotland, a moderate urban development rate has helped keep the plant community stable or rising and able to take advantage of any potential climate boosts. Across the 413 cities where plant productivity rose from 1982 to the present, climate change accounted for approximately 69% of that trend.
The researchers project the "tipping point" may rise to 7.18 square kilometers (2.8 square miles) per year as climate change progresses through this century, allowing cities to convert land slightly faster before incurring vegetation declines. But those declines may be steeper, with the gap between greening and de-greening cities widening as urban development accumulates, too. Represented in terms of the carbon plants lock into their tissues as they grow, the team estimates, average annual city plant declines from now through 2100 will rise roughly 1.5% to 2% from the 1982-2024 baseline, with plants losing around three grams of carbon per square meter per year.
"The number looks small, but cities cover very large areas, so the total loss can become large," Chen said. "It is like a slow leak: After many years it means less plant growth, less carbon uptake, and weaker cooling from urban green spaces. In practice, this can make cities hotter and less resilient."
Urbanites need to touch grass, too
The researchers hope their findings will help inform urban development strategies. To maximize plant productivity, they write, fast-growing cities should make sure to preserve green space as they grow, while slower-growing cities should focus on managing existing plant life to take full advantage of climate conditions. Arid cities like Phoenix may want to take extra care since, as the team's analysis found, dry climates make plant communities disproportionately sensitive to urban expansion.
Efforts like these can help maintain plants as food and habitat for city ecosystems, Chen said. "Flowers support bees and butterflies, trees support birds, and fallen leaves feed soil microbes. These food webs help keep the urban ecosystem alive and stable, not just green-looking."
That stability allows plants to keep the city air clean and cool, store carbon, and make outdoor spaces more comfortable over the long term. "Green areas outside the city cannot provide the same direct benefits to urban residents," Chen said. "It is important to have strong vegetation inside the city because this is where people live and feel heat, air pollution, and stress every day."
* * *
Notes for journalists:
This study is published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, an AGU journal. View and download a PDF of the study here. Neither this press release nor the study is under embargo.
Paper title:
"The Pace of Urbanization Regulates Global Urban Gross Primary Productivity Trends"
Authors:
* Han Chen, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Biological & Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
* Bo Liu, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* Yaping Deng, College of Management and Economics, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* Siyi Wang, School of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
* Tiejun Wang, Tianjin Bohai Rim Coastal Earth Critical Zone National Observation and Research Station, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
* * *
AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million professionals and advocates in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.
* * *
Original text here: https://news.agu.org/press-release/climate-change-may-prop-up-urban-plant-growth-in-the-face-of-development-provided-cities-build-slowly-enough/
[Category: Science]
CIRES Researchers Strike Forecast Gold
BOULDER, Colorado, July 3 -- The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences issued the following news:
* * *
CIRES researchers strike forecast gold
New framework has forecasters provide guardrails rather than guarantees
-
For decades, weather forecasting has often focused on finding the single most likely outcome. Will the storm hit here or there? Will it snow or rain? Will severe weather develop or not? But a recent forecasting experiment suggests the future of weather prediction may be less about choosing one answer and more about explaining a range of possibilities. New
... Show Full Article
BOULDER, Colorado, July 3 -- The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences issued the following news:
* * *
CIRES researchers strike forecast gold
New framework has forecasters provide guardrails rather than guarantees
-
For decades, weather forecasting has often focused on finding the single most likely outcome. Will the storm hit here or there? Will it snow or rain? Will severe weather develop or not? But a recent forecasting experiment suggests the future of weather prediction may be less about choosing one answer and more about explaining a range of possibilities. Newtools help meteorologists explain not just what might happen, but why -- and when they'll know more.
A new testbed experiment explored new ways to use large collections of weather forecast models -- known as ensembles -- to understand uncertainty and communicate risk. The first Ensemble Clustering and Sensitivity Analysis Testbed was a collaboration between National Weather Service forecasters and researchers at CIRES and partner institutions. The experiment was held virtually from March 30 to April 3, with the final report released at the beginning of June.
While researchers expected participants to find value in advanced forecasting tools, they were surprised by how quickly forecasters embraced one tool in particular: Ensemble sensitivity analysis.
"I did not expect them to gravitate to the ensemble sensitivity analysis, because of its learning curve," said Austin Coleman, a researcher at CIRES and NOAA Weather Prediction Center who led the testbed. "Once they realized how to use it, we witnessed a series of lightbulb moments from the forecasters."
While initially viewed as a research tool, the ensemble sensitivity analysis became a communication and impact-based decision-support tool by the end of the week. "Not only do I have a better understanding of why there are differences in output from the ensemble, but now I can get an idea of when I may have better clarity," one participant noted. "This is forecast gold to the partners."
Weather forecasts are often uncertain because the atmosphere is chaotic. Tiny differences in current conditions can grow into dramatically different outcomes days later. Ensemble sensitivity analysis helps forecasters to do meteorological detective work to identify which atmospheric features are responsible for that uncertainty and when they'll have greater confidence in their forecasts.
During the testbed, participants used ensemble sensitivity analysis to analyze a late-February Nor'easter scenario. Six days before the storm, forecast confidence was low. "Of course this winter storm is uncertain," one forecaster explained. "The trough responsible for it is still south of Alaska." They learned from the ensemble sensitivity analysis to expect greater clarity in the forecast once the parent system approached the West Coast.
More importantly, ensemble sensitivity analysis showed when confidence would improve. Once that parent weather system approached the West Coast around three days before the storm, forecasters expected a significant increase in predictability. For decision-makers, that information can be just as valuable as the forecast itself.
Researchers say uncertainty can actually provide a more realistic picture of risk. Rather than presenting a single outcome that may change from day to day, forecasters can explain the range of possible scenarios and the factors they are monitoring. That shift aligns with growing evidence from social science research showing that people often make better decisions when they understand probabilities and risks rather than acting on a single prediction.
Participants found this approach can also build trust. Simply saying a forecast is uncertain can leave users frustrated. But explaining why it is uncertain -- and when confidence is expected to increase -- provides transparency and context. Forecasters described this as a major advantage when communicating with emergency managers, transportation officials, utility operators, and other partners who rely on weather information to make decisions.
Forecasters also emphasized the need for simple graphics and messaging tools to translate complex ensemble information into actionable guidance for the public and core partners. Researchers are now working on training, new applications, and additional use cases to help bring these concepts into everyday forecasting operations.
Tools like ensemble clustering and sensitivity analysis may help bridge the "last mile" between complex forecast science and practical decision-making. They could help people understand what meteorologists are watching, why uncertainty exists, and when greater confidence is likely to emerge -- giving communities the information they need to make better decisions before high-impact weather strikes.
* * *
Original text here: https://cires.colorado.edu/news/cires-researchers-strike-forecast-gold
[Category: Environment]
CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate
WASHINGTON, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 2, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today welcomed the release of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's 2025 Annual Hate Crime Report, which showed a 58% increase in anti-Muslim hate statewide compared to the previous year.
SEE: Attorney General Bonta Releases 2025 Hate Crime Report, Calls for Renewed
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 3 (TNSrep) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 2, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-CA Welcomes Release of Attorney General's 2025 Hate Crime Report, Highlights Statewide Increase in Anti-Muslim Hate
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today welcomed the release of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's 2025 Annual Hate Crime Report, which showed a 58% increase in anti-Muslim hate statewide compared to the previous year.
SEE: Attorney General Bonta Releases 2025 Hate Crime Report, Calls for RenewedCommitment to Combat Hate Across California (https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-releases-2025-hate-crime-report-calls-renewed-commitment)
The Attorney General's annual report compiles hate crimes reported to law enforcement agencies statewide. According to the 2025 data, hate crime events and hate crimes involving religious bias in California overall decreased from 2024. However, anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias events rose from 24 in 2024 to 38 in 2025, according to the report.
These findings are consistent with CAIR's internal reporting. CAIR's most recent civil rights report reveals that complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination across the nation are at an all-time high. In 2025, the organization received the highest number of single-year complaints ever recorded since its first civil rights report was published in 1996. In California, CAIR-CA's offices received 119 hate crime and hate incident reports in 2025.
The Attorney General's report shows that crimes involving racial bias also rose in 2025, with anti-Black bias events increasing by 2.8% and anti-Hispanic/Latino bias events increasing by 30.3%.
In a statement, CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said:
"The findings from Attorney General Bonta's 2025 Hate Crime Report mirror the alarming increase and persistence in hate and bias targeting the Muslim community that has been reported to our offices statewide over the past year. This rise in hate can be directly attributed to the Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian rhetoric perpetuated by elected officials, media outlets, and extremists online that has become normalized and politically rewarded in the U.S.
"At the same time, we know that hate crimes and hate incidents are underreported, and these numbers do not fully capture the extent of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate our community faces. Many individuals do not feel safe going to law enforcement, whether out of fear, past negative experiences, or distrust of the system. Much more work needs to be done to address hate against vulnerable communities in California, starting with the commitment from our elected officials to the safety and well-being of their Muslim, Black, Latino, and other diverse constituents."
CAIR-CA urges community members to report all hate crimes and incidents, even if they are not seeking legal action. Doing so helps build an accurate picture of the harm communities are facing and strengthens advocacy efforts to create systemic change.
To report any bias incidents to your local CAIR-CA office, click here (https://ca.cair.com/legal-services/civil-rights/).
* * *
CAIR-CA is the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ca-welcomes-release-of-attorney-generals-2025-hate-crime-report-highlights-statewide-increase-in-anti-muslim-hate/
[Category: Sociological]
