Trump Administration Removes Climate Change Data, Sparking Outcry from Scientific Community

This week, climate change has continued to be a central topic in both U.S. policy debates and global conversations. In the United States, the Trump administration made headlines by shutting down the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s federal website, which had long provided congressionally mandated reports and research on climate change. The decision removed public access to all five versions of the National Climate Assessment report and a range of critical information, sparking strong reactions from the scientific community. Peter Gleick, a prominent California water and climate scientist, called it an act of scientific censorship and compared it to book burning, warning that access to vital climate data will be more difficult for Americans. The White House has not commented on the removal of the site, but the closure underscores ongoing tensions about the role of science and transparency in national climate policy. This move comes just months after President Trump signed an executive order aiming to restore what he described as a gold standard for science in federal research, but critics argue that these steps have made crucial climate information less accessible to the public, potentially affecting preparedness for worsening droughts, floods, and heat waves, which have become more frequent across the country according to climate scientists, including those involved in the National Climate Assessment.

On the legislative front, the Environmental Protection Agency, under current leadership, submitted a draft proposal to the White House to roll back the 2009 Endangerment Finding, a key rule that recognizes greenhouse gas emissions as a threat to public health. The League of Conservation Voters has criticized this proposed rollback, arguing it would weaken protections against climate pollution, increase risks for vulnerable communities, and further benefit polluters. These regulatory developments are unfolding as Americans experience more costly and damaging impacts from extreme weather, particularly heatwaves and wildfires that have scorched the West and South in recent years.

In contrast to federal rollbacks, some states are moving forward with ambitious clean energy policies. For example, Oregon passed a law ensuring major industrial polluters bear a fair share of rising energy costs, aiming to protect consumers from dramatic rate increases during peak demand periods driven by both heat and data center activity. New Jersey’s governor also announced a substantial relief package to help residents manage high power bills as summer temperatures drive up energy use.

Globally, climate change remains a major focus with the Asia Climate Summit scheduled for next week in Bangkok and major events like Climate Week in New York this September, as well as the upcoming COP30 summit in Brazil. These gatherings will bring together policymakers, scientists, and business leaders to advance international cooperation and climate finance, especially as extreme weather events and rising temperatures challenge communities worldwide. As the United States grapples with policy swings and the impacts of a warming climate, the global community continues to underscore the urgency of coordinated and science-based climate action.