The Trump administration has blocked its plan to make essential climate change assessments easily available, drawing sharp backlash from scientists and environmental advocates, according to a report published by The Associated Press early Tuesday.
Originally Promised on NASA, Now Scrapped
Earlier this month, official government websites that hosted national climate assessments — scientific reports mandated by law — were taken offline. These assessments, crucial for helping communities adapt to climate impacts, were slated for relocation to NASA’s website, according to plans announced by the White House.
But on Monday, NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens confirmed via email that won’t happen. “The USGCRP met its statutory requirements by presenting its reports to Congress. NASA has no legal obligations to host globalchange.gov’s data,” she said, effectively suggesting the climate reports won’t appear on the NASA platform.
The remarks are in stark contrast to NASA’s statement from July 3, which read, “All preexisting reports will be hosted on the NASA website, ensuring continuity of reporting,” as reported by the AP.
Scientists and Advocates Slam the Move
Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy and co‑author of past national climate assessments, called the reports “vital information we need to keep ourselves safe in a changing climate.”
Former Obama advisor John Holdren accused the Trump-led US administration of deliberate deception, saying the new stance “is classic Trump administration misdirection” and that two weeks later, they’ll “snatch away the consolation with no apology.”
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Holdren added that the move was meant to “censor or bury” the meticulously documented impacts of climate change on farms, forests, fisheries and frontline communities.
“They are written in a way useful to people who need to understand what climate change is doing and will do to THEM,” Holdren said while emphasising the importance of public access, per the news agency.
Why This Matters
The most recent report, released in 2023, showed widespread effects, including impacts on health, safety and livelihoods across the US, with minority and Native American communities particularly at risk.
With official sources offline, the latest and previous National Climate Assessments are now only available through NOAA’s library, the report said, adding that the interactive atlas and 2023 report remain accessible, even though finding them can be a challenging task.
According to legal requirements, climate assessments must be submitted to Congress, but public access now depends on NOAA’s limited archive, not prominent government platforms.
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