The article discusses the significant changes expected in U.S. government websites that provide environmental and climate-related information following President Trump’s new administration. Key changes include the removal of “climate” from URLs, disrupting access to vital data for U.S. climate scientists and affecting international collaborations. Researchers have already encountered dead links and missing information, which undermine trust in U.S. science.
These alterations, part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration, include freezing research grants and erasing information from platforms like the Department of Energy and the State Department, impacting ongoing scientific projects. The administration’s actions reflect an intent to prioritize fossil fuels and downplay climate change, with concerns that scientists may be sidelined.
Despite historical efforts to preserve data through initiatives like the End of Term Web Archive, apprehensions remain about future accessibility to critical climate information. The article underscores the tension between political goals and scientific integrity, warning that removing access to reliable scientific information can pose serious risks to public health and safety.
