The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a climate report in July 2026 titled "Attribution of Extreme Weather and Climate Events and Their Impacts 2026," which a coalition of state attorneys general alleges was biased and designed to bolster lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. The report is connected to ongoing litigation, including the landmark Suncor Energy v. County Commissioners of Boulder County case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a 12-page letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the Republican attorneys general criticized NASEM for secrecy surrounding the review process of its climate-related work. They called the review a "sham" and argued that a truly independent review would involve external panels, non-activist reviewers, transparency in process and findings, and a scope addressing material criticisms.

The attorneys general highlighted the involvement of the Bezos Earth Fund, which helped fund the NASEM report and has also granted $100 million to the Natural Resources Defense Council and $15 million to the Union of Concerned Scientists. They noted that an amicus organization supporting plaintiffs in the Suncor case cited the NASEM report extensively and received significant funding from the Bezos Earth Fund to "accelerate climate action."

Further concerns were raised about NASEM's January 2025 policy changes, which require committee members only to disclose non-financial conflicts such as professional and legal affiliations, without protocols for mitigating these conflicts.

The coalition's letter comes as the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in the Suncor case in October 2026, a lawsuit initiated by Boulder County and the City of Boulder against Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil seeking damages related to climate impacts.

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