New Online Resource for Climate Data Launches in the U.S.
In response to the closure of a key government climate information source, a new website, Climate.us, has been launched to provide accessible climate data and resources. Developed by former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees, this site aims to fill the gap left by the shutdown of Climate.gov under the Trump administration.
The original government-run Climate.gov was a vital resource for nearly one million monthly visitors in 2021, offering official climate data and analyses. However, after Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cutbacks, the site was discontinued, leaving much of the data technically available but difficult to access, as noted by Rebecca Lindsey, former program director of Climate.gov. Lindsey, alongside two other ex-NOAA employees, initiated the creation of Climate.us in August 2025 to ease public access to climate information.
“This information is too important. It should remain in a protected place,” Lindsey emphasized.
Currently, visitors to the NOAA climate site encounter a message that directs them to NOAA.gov/climate, following Executive Order 14303. NOAA’s statement was reiterated by their Communications Director, Kim Doster, in a response to NPR inquiries.
A New Vision for Climate Data Accessibility
Lindsey describes the NOAA’s current setup as opening “a front door into a closet,” reflecting the difficulty in accessing data. To address this, she and her team raised approximately $280,000 through crowdfunding and received a one-time grant from an anonymous donor to sustain the project until at least February 2027. They also engaged around 80 scientists to ensure the data’s accuracy.
Although NOAA’s data is public, the team faced challenges, particularly in developing a new search capability to replace the costly system used by the government site. Lindsey explains, “The technical issues were more challenging than the content issues.”
Texas Tech University climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe praised Climate.us for bridging the information gap left by Climate.gov’s closure. “They’re really helping people connect what’s happening at the global scale to how it matters to their lives,” she said.
Maintaining the Legacy of Climate.gov
Climate.us continues the legacy of Climate.gov by featuring a “climate dashboard” with key climate change graphs, a collection of climate news, expert blogs, and educational resources. Lindsey states the site will focus on providing factual, nonpartisan information.
“Climate.gov was never about—and Climate.us will never be about—telling Americans what to do about climate change,” Lindsey affirmed.
Recent government actions, such as the halted plan to dismantle ocean-monitoring buoys, highlight ongoing concerns about data availability. Gretchen Gehrke of the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) stresses the importance of resources like Climate.us in maintaining public access to environmental information.
“We are still not in a position to know what data is even being collected,” Gehrke warned, emphasizing the site’s potential to safeguard critical climate data.
As discussions continue on whether Climate.us should remain independent or eventually return to government oversight, Lindsey underscores the importance of preserving its autonomy. “The fact that they got rid of it so easily is proof that we shouldn’t make it vulnerable again,” she stated.
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