In response to the removal of critical climate science resources from federal websites, a group of former government scientists has launched an independent platform to safeguard and continue disseminating climate information. The new site, Climate.us, aims to replace the now-defunct Climate.gov, which was shuttered amid staff cuts and restrictions under the previous administration.
Rebecca Lindsey, who had overseen Climate.gov as its lead writer, editor, and program manager at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), expressed deep concern when the federal site was dismantled. Over more than a decade, Climate.gov had provided clear, accessible explanations and resources about climate change tailored to educators, policymakers, and the general public. Lindsey and her former team recognized the loss as a significant gap in public knowledge and government communication on climate issues.
To address this, the former Climate.gov team met periodically and decided to create an independent, nongovernmental version of the site. Launched recently, Climate.us not only preserves the original content but also commits to ongoing updates, adding new visuals, explanatory materials, and Q&A sections. The site’s content is continuously vetted by climate scientists to ensure accuracy and relevance, reflecting current scientific consensus and public needs.
Since its debut, Climate.us has garnered a remarkable number of page views, approaching the traffic levels that Climate.gov had previously sustained. This borrower-led initiative gains importance in light of significant federal setbacks: congressionally mandated National Climate Assessments and numerous Environmental Protection Agency webpages on climate causes and impacts have either disappeared or been removed in recent years.
By creating a decentralized model of climate science communication, experts hope to reduce vulnerability to political shifts and ensure that vital information remains accessible. This approach also reflects a broader trend in how climate data is collected, preserved, and shared, with increasing involvement from nongovernmental actors. Climate.us embodies this shift, preserving a critical public resource while adapting to an uncertain political landscape.