Norwegian Research Minister Sigrun Gjerløw Aasland has confirmed that a number of climate scientists have left the United States for Norway's research institutes since Donald Trump began implementing his anti-science and anti-climate crisis policies. The minister told The Independent that several American researchers have joined Norwegian institutions over the past year, many focusing on pioneering climate work in the Arctic.
During the first year of Trump's second term, the US government cut thousands of jobs at federal science agencies, slashed grant funding for universities, and effectively ended government-backed climate research. In December, the closure of the Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research was announced. According to one analysis, more than 10,000 doctorate-level experts in science and other fields have left federal employment, raising fears of a scientific brain drain.
Last summer, Norway's centre-left government launched a 100 million kroner (£7.8 million) programme to attract international researchers. So far, 27 scientists have come to Norway under the initiative, including 23 from the US. The programme supports research into polar ice sheets, biodiversity, wind energy, circular economy, battery systems, climate resilience, and the carbon cycle's relationship with fresh water.
Ms Aasland noted that scientists are drawn to Norway due to its well-funded institutions, high quality of life, and its location on the 'front line' of the climate crisis, with about 35 per cent of its landmass north of the Arctic Circle. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average, and Norway aims to deepen understanding of the region. 'The Arctic is an area where security and climate really intertwine,' she said. 'Norway has a clear ambition to act as the world's eyes and ears in the north.'
Despite the federal rollback, there have been signs of resistance. In recent weeks, Congress pushed back against the Trump administration's requests to slash funding for the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and NASA in its 2026 spending bill. Additionally, individual states have stepped up, with initiatives such as the New Mexico Innovation Hub supporting startups in nuclear fusion, solar, wind, and battery technology. David Perez, CEO of the hub, said, 'When the Trump administration came in and started denying climate and cutting all these programmes, we doubled down.'
