Under GOP Pressure, Federal Agency Pulls Climate Change Chapter From Official Manual for U.S. Judges

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Abrahm LustgartenFebruary 10, 2026 at 09:15 PM

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Under pressure from Republican state attorneys general, the Federal Judicial Center, which advises federal judges, withdrew its climate change chapter from the updated "Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence" released December 31, 2025. The manual, updated for the first time in 15 years, is a key resource for judges on scientific and technical matters. The withdrawn chapter defined climate terminology and described the scientific consensus on climate change. Conservatives criticized the chapter as biased against oil and gas producers, alleging it aimed to influence judges in climate-related lawsuits. The withdrawal leaves judges without official guidance on climate science as numerous climate cases proceed through state and federal courts, including cases before the Supreme Court.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UN 40% National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine 50% John Roberts 60% United States 70% Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 70% Republican Party ×280% U.S. Supreme Court ×280% Federal Judicial Center ×490%

Keywords

climate change 100% judicial reference manual 90% federal judicial center 80% republican attorneys general 70% scientific evidence 70% climate lawsuits 60% u.s. supreme court 60% scientific consensus 50% oil and gas 50% fossil fuels 40%