Open Letter From 56 Scientists Endorses Biden, Rips Trump: Our Children Would Suffer the ‘Consequences’ of His Reelection

A group of 56 scientists has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in an open letter that slams President Donald Trump as a science denier.

On Tuesday, an impressive list of scientists released a letter, timed to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, endorsing Biden and ripping Trump’s record on environmental issues.

“Vice President Biden has long trusted the scientific consensus on climate change and for more than thirty years has advanced policies to support scientific research and slow climate change,” the group wrote. “As a U.S. senator, he introduced one of the first climate change bills in 1986, promoted policies to curtail carbon emissions as a Senator and through the Obama-Biden administration, and has committed to meet the climate challenge with ambitious policies and urgent action as President.”

“We are confident that, unlike President Trump, Joe Biden will respect, collaborate with, and listen to leaders in the scientific community and public health experts to confront the existential climate crisis and other environmental threats,” the letter reads.

The scientists further contrasted Biden’s environmental record with Trump’s, and noted that Trump “abandoned the Paris Climate Agreement abroad and has refused to follow the science as he dismantles nearly one hundred environmental rules and regulations at home.”

“Now more than ever, the United States needs a President who trusts and respects scientists and will confront the climate crisis head on, rather than leave our children and grandchildren to suffer its consequences,” the letter concludes.

In reporting the news, Axios noted that the group includes renowned climate scientist Michael Mann and former officials from administrations of both political parties, and that Biden has signaled a willingness to strengthen his environmental policies:

Who they are: Signatories include the prominent Penn State climate scientist Michael Mann and Jane Lubchenco, who ran NOAA under former President Obama.

Catch up fast: Biden yesterday signaled that he plans to expand his climate platform. And Sanders’ endorsement of Biden last week included the announcement of plans to form joint policy “task forces,” with climate among the topics.

The former VP already had a relatively ambitious $1.7 trillion plan to combat climate change, and consistently faced off with environmental activists on the campaign trail by defending his own record on the environment. Since then, though, he has earned the endorsements of progressive leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.