How Trump’s assault on climate science is a ‘threat to humanity’
By Harry Mok,
Opinion Columnist
Oct 23, 2025
When environmental scientist Michael Mann reconnected with colleague Benjamin Horton on a recent trip to Hong Kong, they lamented the state of climate research in the U.S.
“We marveled at the stark contrast between the forward-looking view taken by Hong Kong and China, when it comes to matters of climate and sustainability,” Mann told me in an email.
The Essential Sale: 6 months for 99¢. Elevate your everyday with exceptional reporting.
ACT NOW
Mann said China is investing in basic climate research and development, and is becoming a world leader in green energy technology. At the same time, the U.S., under President Donald Trump and the enabling of congressional Republicans, has ceded leadership in this area.
The discussions between Mann and Horton led to them raising the alarm in Thursday’s Open Forum on what the U.S. stands to lose as it falls behind other countries on climate science.
“It’s a crisis, and Ben and I felt we had to say something about it,” Mann said.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/trump-climate-change-21114449.php
