GoKawiilUS climate scientists hit with wave of records requests tied to fossil-fuel litigation
A University of California climate scientist received her fifth public-records request this year seeking all correspondence about a study linking fossil-fuel emissions to climate damages, filed via a law firm for Iowa-based Patriots Foundation. Nature identified at least 30 such requests since 2024 sent to 13 public universities, affecting dozens of climate scientists, legal scholars and attorneys; Politico separately found over 100 records requests since 2021 tied to climate-damage lawsuits.
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The surge in requests coincides with a Supreme Court case on whether fossil-fuel companies can be held liable for climate harms, suggesting the records push could be aimed at undermining attribution science used in such litigation. Researchers argue the demands could chill scientific work by exposing private deliberations to public scrutiny, though the requesting groups frame themselves as government watchdogs seeking transparency.
- At least 30 records requests on climate attribution science have hit 13 US public universities since 2024, per Nature's investigation.
- Politico found over 100 broader records requests since 2021 tied to climate-damage lawsuits.
- The requests coincide with a pending Supreme Court case on fossil-fuel companies' liability for climate change.
Source: nature.com — Dinneen, 2026-10-19
Published there as: “Climate scientists face deluge of public-records requests about fossil-fuel studies”
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