Climate Scientists

Job opportunities for environmental scientists (including climate scientists) are projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is faster than the average for all careers. Demand for climate scientists is expected to be strong. "The year-to-date (YTD January–July) global surface temperature [in 2024] was 2.30 degrees above the 20th-century average, making it the warmest YTD on record," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These high temperatures have caused a wide variety of harmful impacts on the environment. The negative effects of climate change have become evident on a daily basis as nations across the world experience epic droughts, floods, and heat waves; increases in the number and severity of hurricanes, and weather other types of environmental damage that is costing human lives and livelihoods and weakening the world economy.

Seventy-one percent of Millennials (i.e., born 1981–96) who were surveyed by the Pew Research Center (PRC) in 2021 said that “climate should be a top priority to ensure a sustainable planet for future generations.” Sixty-seven percent of respondents from Generation Z (i.e., born after 1996) and 63 percent of respondents from Generation X (i.e., born 1965–80) agreed with this statement. Many other surveys reinforce that there is a growing concern by the public about climate change. In fall 2023, the PRC surveyed U.S. adults regarding their views on climate change. Forty-three percent of Americans believed that climate change was causing a "great deal" or "quite a bit of harm" to people in the U.S., and an additional 28 percent said it was causing some harm. Sixty-three percent of respondents expected harm from climate change to worsen in their lifetimes.

These polls—and the obvious negative effects of climate change around the world—suggest that more research is needed to understand and attempt to reduce global warming, ameliorate the effects of industrialization, and address other factors that are creating harmful climate change. As a result, there should be increased opportunities for climate scientists over the next decade.