Key climate change reports removed from US government websites
Scientists said the peer-reviewed authoritative reports save money and lives. Websites for the national assessments and the US Global Change Research Program were down Monday and Tuesday with no links, notes or referrals elsewhere. The White House, which was responsible for the assessments, said the information will be housed within Nasa to comply with the law, but gave no further details.
Searches for the assessments on Nasa websites did not turn them up. Nasa did not respond to requests for information. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which coordinated the information in the assessments, did not respond to repeated inquiries.
'It's critical for decision makers across the country to know what the science in the National Climate Assessment is. That is the most reliable and well-reviewed source of information about climate that exists for the United States,' said University of Arizona climate scientist Kathy Jacobs, who coordinated the 2014 version of the report.
'It's a sad day for the United States if it is true that the National Climate Assessment is no longer available,' Jacobs said. 'This is evidence of serious tampering with the facts and with people's access to information, and it actually may increase the risk of people being harmed by climate-related impacts.'
Harvard climate scientist John Holdren, who was President Obama's science adviser and whose office directed the assessments, said after the 2014 edition he visited governors, mayors and other local officials who told him how useful the 841-page report was. It helped them decide whether to raise roads, build seawalls and even move hospital generators from basements to roofs, he said.
'This is a government resource paid for by the taxpayer to provide the information that really is the primary source of information for any city, state or federal agency who's trying to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate,' said Texas Tech climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, who has been a volunteer author for several editions of the report.
Copies of past reports are still squirreled away in Noaa's library. Nasa's open science data repository includes dead links to the assessment site.
The most recent report, issued in 2023, included an interactive atlas that zoomed down to the county level. It found that climate change is affecting people's security, health and livelihoods in every corner of the country in different ways, with minority and Native American communities often disproportionately at risk.
The 1990 Global Change Research Act requires a national climate assessment every four years and directs the president to establish an interagency United States Global Change Research Program. In the spring, the Trump administration told the volunteer authors of the next climate assessment that their services weren't needed and ended the contract with the private firm that helps coordinate the website and report.
Additionally, Noaa's main climate.gov website was recently forwarded to a different Noaa website. Social media and blogs at Noaa and Nasa about climate impacts for the general public were cut or eliminated.
'It's part of a horrifying big picture,' Holdren said. 'It's just an appalling whole demolition of science infrastructure.'
The national assessments are more useful than international climate reports put out by the UN every seven or so years because they are more localized and more detailed, Hayhoe and Jacobs said.
The national reports are not only peer reviewed by other scientists, but examined for accuracy by the National Academy of Sciences, federal agencies, the staff and the public.
Hiding the reports would be censoring science, Jacobs said.
And it's dangerous for the country, Hayhoe said, comparing it to steering a car on a curving road by only looking through the rearview mirror: 'And now, more than ever, we need to be looking ahead to do everything it takes to make it around that curve safely. It's like our windshield's being painted over.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Europe heatwave latest: Eiffel Tower summit closed as continent faces record-breaking temperatures
France has closed the Eiffel Tower summit and shuttered almost 2,000 schools as a brutal heatwave breaks temperature records across Europe. Spain and Portugal logged their highest-ever June temperatures as authorities took urgent measures across Mediterranean nations. Spain saw its hottest June since 1914, with Barcelona hitting 37.9C and Madrid forecast to reach 39°C while Portugal's Mora town peaked at 46.6C. Italy banned outdoor work in some parts as red alerts were issued in 17 major cities. In Florence, power outages hit the city centre, and a worker near Bologna died in a suspected heat-related incident. Turkey battled wildfires for a third day, forcing the evacuation of about 50,000 people. The current high-pressure system set in late last week, bringing temperatures up to 10C higher than normal for this time in summer, with the system moving east across Europe from the Iberian peninsula. Marine heatwave pushes up Mediterranean Sea temperature Mediterranean Sea temperatures surged in June in a marine heatwave, with a Greek scientist warning some species are under threat in what has likely been a record period. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said Copernicus Marine Service data showed sea surface temperatures on 22 June were more than 5Cs above the seasonal average. The most intense warming in what it called a "marine heatwave" was observed in the western Mediterranean basin, including the Balearic Sea, off Spain, and the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the west coast of Italy, it said. "We have seen temperatures we were expecting in the middle of August being recorded in June and ... this is why it is considered a record year for temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea," Christos Spyrou, associate researcher at the Academy of Athens research centre for atmospheric physics, said. He said that the average sea temperatures in June were 3-6 degrees higher than the average between 1982-2023, which was used as a reference period. "We expected these sea temperatures in August," Spyrou said, adding specific temperatures were not yet available. "Some species will not be able to reproduce or survive in these conditions, especially in increasing temperatures.' Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to Copernicus, making extreme heatwaves occur earlier in the year, and persist into later months. Several Italian regions banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day on Tuesday, France shut scores of schools and Spain confirmed last month as its hottest June on record as a severe heatwave gripped Europe, triggering widespread health alerts. A 69-year-old Greek resident who gave his name as Christos said he had noticed the warming waters off Athens. 'I have been coming here for 11 years, I believe the sea is a little warmer than other years. Every year it gets warmer, both in winter and in summer," he said Shweta Sharma2 July 2025 05:22 In pictures: Sweltering heatwave scorches Europe Shweta Sharma2 July 2025 04:38 Schools and Eiffel Tower summit shut in France as red alert extended France is on high alert as temperatures soar to 40–41C, with the red alert extended till today. National weather agency Meteo-France placed several departments under the highest red alert. The Eiffel Tower's summit remains closed until Thursday for 'everyone's comfort and safety'. Visitors to the Eiffel Tower without tickets were told to postpone their visits. The number of schools shut across the country has surged to nearly 1,900, up from just 200 on Monday, in a dramatic response to the intensifying heatwave. A Paris-Milan rail service was disrupted because of a mudslide on the French side of the Alps, with full service not expected to be fully restored until mid-July, French rail operator SNCF said. Shweta Sharma2 July 2025 04:20 Barcelona logs hottest June in over a century Barcelona logged its hottest June since 1914, with an average temperature of 26C. Monday alone saw a searing 37.9C, breaking all previous records for the month. Barcelona is usually spared the worst heat in Spain, thanks to its location between hills and the Mediterranean. Shweta Sharma2 July 2025 03:59 What is a heat dome? Weather system explained Large swathes of the UK and Europe are sweltering through a heatwave, with England's southeast set to hit temperatures of 35C and parts of Europe including Paris, Rome and Athens to near 40C. The extended period of above-average temperatures and tropical nights with minimum temperatures staying above 20C could be exacerbated by a heat dome. Here, Rachel Clun looks at how the weather event is sending temperatures soaring across Europe. What is a heat dome? Weather system explained as Europe faces sweltering temperatures Temperatures are expected to drop by the end of the week across much of Europe Bryony Gooch2 July 2025 03:00 Full list of countries affected by heatwave Dozens of heat warnings are in place across France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and well as the Balkans, according to weather aggregator MeteoAlarm. 'Extreme heat is no longer a rare event – it has become the new normal,' UN secretary general Antonio Guterres warned. 'The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous – no country is immune.' Here, The Independent has put together a full list of European countries currently in the grip of a heatwave and the current advice being given to locals and tourists. Full list of European countries under heatwave alerts as mercury soars to 46C Dozens of heat warnings are in place across tourist hotspots including France, Spain and Italy Daniel Keane2 July 2025 02:00 Europe is world's fastest warming continent Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, with extreme heatwaves starting earlier in the year and persisting for longer. "What is exceptional ... but not unprecedented is the time of year," said World Meteorological Organisation spokesperson Clare Nullis, adding that extreme heat episodes were seen now "which normally we would see later on in the summer." Higher temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea tend to reinforce extreme temperatures over land areas, she said. Bryony Gooch2 July 2025 01:00 'Heatwaves are silent killers' - the dangers of extreme heat Extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world, according to insurance company Swiss Re, which notes this exceeds the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, research fellow at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, said: "Heatwaves are silent killers. "Unlike floods or storms, their impact can be invisible: people who die during extreme heat usually have pre-existing health conditions, and heat is rarely recorded as a contributing cause of death." Bryony Gooch2 July 2025 00:00 'Climate refuge' set up in southern Malaga by Red Cross The Red Cross set up an air-conditioned "climate refuge" for residents in southern Malaga, said IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa. Spanish Red Cross volunteers have been deployed to support the most vulnerable population groups – the very old and the very young, pregnant women, people working outdoors – and the National Society has launched a public-health information drive to provide advice on how to store medication safely and protect pets. The Red Cross set up a 'climate refuge', air-conditioned down to the low twenties, to help residents 'cope with the heat in comfort and with company, avoiding the isolation and loneliness' that extreme heat can impose, as people are forced to stay indoors. Bryony Gooch1 July 2025 23:00 Barcelona marks hottest June in over a century Barcelona recorded its hottest month of June since records started more than a century ago, Spain's national weather service said as Europe remained in the grip of the first major heatwave of the summer. The Fabra Observatory, located on a hill overlooking the city, reported an average temperature of 26C, breaking records since 1914. The previous hottest average for June was 25.6C in 2003. The same weather station said a single-day high of 37.9C for June was recorded on Monday.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Men become infested with parasites after receiving infected organs across multiple states
Two New England men have been left riddled with parasitic worms after receiving a common organ transplant. The patients, 61 and 66, had each received one kidney each from the same donor, who was from the Caribbean. The first patient, who was not named, received the transplant from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and initially improved. But 10 weeks later, the man was re-admitted due to suffering from severe thirst and abdominal discomfort. A large purple rash, like a constellation of bruises, had also erupted across the skin of his stomach. The second patient, who was also unnamed, received their transplant at Albany Medical Center in New York and also improved at first. Eleven weeks later, however, he was also re-admitted with fatigue, worsening kidney function and a plummeting white blood cell count. Doctors were initially stumped as to what could be behind the complications, having ruled out Covid, the flu and bacterial infections — after a course of antibiotics did not improve their symptoms. However, samples from the first patient's abdomen, lungs and skin revealed a small ringworm called Strongyloides stercoralis. The second patient, meanwhile, was also found to have larvae from Strongyloides stercoralis in his stool. The bizarre cases were revealed in The New England Journal of Medicine last month, with doctors treating them as a cautionary tale for better regulation surrounding organ donation. Transplant organs, donors and recipients normally go through a battery of tests to minimize the risk of the organs being rejected by the body. Blood is tested for antibodies that might attack other tissues, while donors and recipients are both evaluated for infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis. They are also usually tested for parasitic infections, but it's possible the donor was not evaluated for these. About 48,000 organ transplants take place in the US every year, of which kidney transplants are the most common — making up two-thirds of these procedures. The most common complication of the procedure is infection, which is common since recipients have to take medications that suppress their immune system. Doctors treating one of the man called the New England Donor Services and found the kidney donor had antibodies for Strongyloides, meaning the donor had encountered the parasite at some point. The recipients only had Strongyloides antibodies after their procedures and not before, meaning they likely got it from their organ donor. Strongyloides is a roundworm parasite that spreads by directly penetrating human skin that gets into contact with soil. Infections lead to stomach aches, diarrhea and rashes, but most patients don't know they're infected. The CDC doesn't consistently track US cases, though it's estimated Strongyloides hospitalizes thousands each year. The first patient was treated with ivermectin, a deworming drug touted for but largely unproven to treat conditions like Covid and cancer. The second patient received ivermectin and the similar drug albendazole. Both men have fully recovered.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Mysterious underground base tied to deadly UFO encounters may exist after decades of rumors
Rumors that a secret mountain base in the US controlled by aliens has been swirling for 50 years, but locals and UFO researchers are convinced it's real. The base allegedly sits inside Archuleta Mesa in New Mexico, but has gained the nickname ' Alien Mountain' because of the conspiracy theories, strange phenomena, and alleged eyewitness accounts all tied to the nearby town of Dulce. While there's no physical evidence that a base has somehow been carved out inside the large mountain, UFO researchers have continued to examine the claims surrounding the facility, including a battle with aliens that reportedly left 66 people dead. Since the 1970s, residents have claimed they've seen UFOs, extraterrestrials, and even genetic experiments that look like human-alien hybrids walking around the town. Geraldine Julian, a Dulce resident, told the Santa Fe New Mexican: 'The whole town of Dulce, whoever you want to talk to, they'll tell you what they've seen, a lot of them.' The local community hasn't just seen things in the sky, as they've taken photos of strange craft around the mountain, as well as unexplained cow mutilations in nearby fields. Recently, declassified records have revealed how the US government could have created the massive complex inside Archuleta Mesa, using a machine that literally melts rock instead of drilling. The records may one day help prove the stories of at least one alleged whistleblower, who claimed he survived that deadly encounter with the aliens hiding inside the government facility. UFO and government conspiracy researcher John Greenewald was able to uncover documents revealing that a machine called the Subterrene was built and tested in the 1970s. The Subterrene is a nuclear-powered tunneling machine developed to bore through rock and soil by melting them with extreme heat, creating smooth, glass-lined tunnels. It was created by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, just 100 miles from the site of the alleged New Mexico base inside Archuleta Mesa. Although the declassified documents confirmed that the Subterrene exists, there were no records of it being used to build Dulce Base. If the mountain base does exist, however, one man already revealed what it looks like, claiming that Dulce Base has seven floors devoted to genetic experiments, extraterrestrial technology, mind control, and housing for alien beings. The man who allegedly saw the inside of Dulce Base was Phil Schneider, a self-proclaimed former government engineer and geologist. Before he died in 1996, Schneider repeatedly claimed that he suffered severe injuries, including the loss of several fingers, during a deadly battle with aliens inside the complex. According to Schneider, who never showed proof of his government ties, 66 military personnel and government workers perished in the fight after a human team accidentally drilled into an alien-controlled section of the base. Schneider also made unsubstantiated claims that the US government was creating hundreds of these mountain bases around the nation using advanced technology. At UFO lectures, Schneider would also reveal a piece of metal that he claimed was alien technology from the Dulce base, and that it was now being used in US stealth aircraft. The rumors of a mysterious Dulce base go back to the mid-1970s, when New Mexico State Police officer Gabe Valdez was one of many locals who started finding the mangled remains of cattle near the mountain. These cows hadn't been killed by a local predator. They appeared to have been surgically disassembled, with specific organs removed and all the blood drained out. In local radio interviews, Valdez also claimed that gas masks, glow sticks, and other equipment had been left behind at the scene of the attacks. In 1979, Albuquerque businessman and physicist Paul Bennewitz claimed he intercepted unusual electronic signals near Dulce. He would go on to theorize that the signals were coming from an underground base being used by both aliens and the US government, a theory that became widely shared among UFO researchers at the time. However, Bennewitz's claims were later dismissed by the UFO community after several researchers discovered declassified Air Force documents linking the businessman to a government disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting UFO stories. Despite being seemingly debunked by the Air Force documents in the 1990s, locals in Dulce continue to maintain that the mountain is a true UFO hotspot. 'It's not just a fairy tale,' Julian said in 2016. 'All the things are true, and I believe every last one of them, too, because I've seen it myself.' Julian added in an interview with KOAT that she saw one of the genetic experiments allegedly created in Dulce Base, saying that it was a 'goat with a tail' from the waist down, but had the upper body and head of a human. Other locals said they've seen the ground open up near the mountain, with steam coming out of the opening. Dory Vigil, a Dulce resident who captured a photo of a UFO near Archuleta Mesa, said he'd take a lie detector test to prove he and others in the community aren't making up what continues to be seen in this small town of just 2,700 people.
