The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officially stated that it will no longer monitor the financial impact of the most costly weather disasters in the United States. This change, effective immediately, means that critical data on hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires—events which have been increasing in both frequency and intensity as global temperatures rise—will no longer be available. Industry experts warn that this will severely hinder the ability of insurance companies, scientists, and policymakers to assess and respond to these disasters.
Recent weeks have seen the current administration take various actions to limit climate research, including dismissing contributors from major climate assessments and proposing budget cuts to climate-focused programs across different governmental departments. Critics are vocal about the implications of this shift. Jesse M. Keenan, an associate professor at Tulane University, remarked that ending this data collection will impair government efforts in budgeting and infrastructure investment, equating the move to operating "blind" regarding the costs attributed to severe weather events.
Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts voiced strong opposition on social media, describing the decision as “anti-science, anti-safety, and anti-American.” The decision to stop tracking these costly disasters represents a significant setback in understanding the economic toll of climate change, raising alarm among stakeholders who rely on this foundational data for informed decision-making. With extreme weather events projected to continue escalating, the impact of the U.S. government's latest action is being closely scrutinized as stakeholders worry about the long-term consequences for disaster preparedness and response.
Recent weeks have seen the current administration take various actions to limit climate research, including dismissing contributors from major climate assessments and proposing budget cuts to climate-focused programs across different governmental departments. Critics are vocal about the implications of this shift. Jesse M. Keenan, an associate professor at Tulane University, remarked that ending this data collection will impair government efforts in budgeting and infrastructure investment, equating the move to operating "blind" regarding the costs attributed to severe weather events.
Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts voiced strong opposition on social media, describing the decision as “anti-science, anti-safety, and anti-American.” The decision to stop tracking these costly disasters represents a significant setback in understanding the economic toll of climate change, raising alarm among stakeholders who rely on this foundational data for informed decision-making. With extreme weather events projected to continue escalating, the impact of the U.S. government's latest action is being closely scrutinized as stakeholders worry about the long-term consequences for disaster preparedness and response.
