The Trump administration has been ramping up attacks on climate science, data, research, and scientists in recent weeks. This includes jeopardizing the National Climate Assessment, halting the publication of data on billion-dollar climate and weather disasters, and stopping federal agencies from using the social cost of carbon to create policies. The administration’s strategy is clear – they want to bury scientific evidence of the impacts and economic damages caused by climate change to avoid taking any action to address them.
However, the reality of climate change is all too real, and its effects are visible in catastrophic wildfires, floods, and rising property insurance costs. To limit the public health and economic costs of the climate crisis, the country must transition quickly from fossil fuels to clean energy and invest in resilience. Unfortunately, the Trump administration is pushing in the opposite direction and spreading lies and propaganda to boost fossil fuels.
One of the administration’s recent moves was to stop updating the dataset on billion-dollar weather and climate disasters beyond 2024. This data shows that climate change is costly and impacting every region of the country. In 2024 alone, the US experienced 27 billion-dollar disasters, costing approximately $182.7 billion in total. The most catastrophic event was Hurricane Helene, intensified by record warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico.
In addition to hiding data on climate disasters, the Trump administration has also directed federal agencies to stop using the social cost of carbon. This metric puts a dollar value on the damage caused per ton of heat-trapping emissions and helps agencies set policies that account for these costs. By eliminating the consideration of these costs, the administration is benefiting fossil fuel companies at the expense of public health and the economy.
Another concerning move by the administration was firing the staff of the US Global Change Research Program and disbanding the author team for the sixth National Climate Assessment. This report is essential for understanding the impacts of climate change and guiding actions to address them. Without this information, the country risks facing a more dangerous world due to human-caused climate change.
Overall, the Trump administration’s actions demonstrate a clear attempt to manipulate facts and data to benefit polluters and undermine efforts to address climate change. It is crucial for Congress to step in and ensure policies guided by the best available science to protect lives and the economy as the climate crisis worsens. The suppression of scientific data and research is a dangerous turn that must be resisted to protect democratic institutions and free thought.
