It would be really helpful to readers to have some information provided regarding the benefits produced for the country by this kind of climate research funding.

Most of us understand that everyone who gets a grant to pursue research will reflexively lobby for a continuation of the grant, regardless of the utility of the research.  

If the research is producing valuable tools producing benefit for others, readers who are taxpayers can feel their contribution has merit.  If instead, it is just a survival grant that benefits no one but the researchers, maybe they need to move on to more productive pursuits, and the withdrawal of taxpayer support is warranted.