In the latest red flag for freedom of speech and information in the United States, Donald Trump’s administration has begun ‘downgrading’ mentions of the environmental crisis from state-run domains.
Climate portals on the websites of the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the White House have either disappeared or been substantially reduced in scope. This includes information relating to vulnerability analyses for wildfires, just weeks after Californian authorities found themselves battling devastating blazes across vast areas of Los Angeles.
The ‘climate and sustainability’ section of the Department of Transportation has been entirely removed. The organisation has also issued an order to delete any policy viewpoints, directives and funding which contain ‘which reference or relate in any way to climate change, ‘greenhouse gas’ [sic] emissions, racial equity, gender identity, ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ goals, environmental justice or the Justice40 initiative.’
‘We should plan for the worst,” Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania. told The Guardian. ‘The keys to the car have been given to the polluters and fossil fuel plutocrats and they intend to drive it off the climate cliff.’
Some key climate content does remain, including sections on the websites of the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy. NASA’s charts on global heating and planetary emissions are also still visible, but a statement has suggested this will ‘look a little different in the future’, suggesting restrictions are likely in the coming months. In 2024, Florida passed a law banning any reference to climate change from state laws, with many fearing this will now become a national norm.
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