Volunteers Rescue Climate Data After Shutdown of Climate.gov
Volunteers have restored all content from the defunct government website climate.gov via a new independent platform, climate.us. The original site was removed by the Trump administration for failing to meet “gold standard science” requirements under Executive Order 14303, according to official government redirect notices.
Why was climate.gov removed?
The U.S. government took climate.gov offline last June, redirecting users to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) climate page. Officials stated the site’s research didn’t meet what the administration termed “gold standard science.”
This action followed Executive Order 14303, “Restoring Gold Standard Science,” and a June 23, 2025, memorandum from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The redirect also cited 15 USC § 2904, 15 USC § 2934, and 33 USC § 893a regarding national climate programs and NOAA educational initiatives.
How was the climate data recovered?
A group of volunteers acted to save the data after the government removed climate information from public access. These individuals established climate.us as an independent replacement for the government site.
On June 23, the team announced they successfully restored all content that was lost when climate.gov went offline. This effort ensures the data remains available despite the administration’s “drill, baby, drill” energy approach and deregulation of fossil fuels.
What happens next for climate education?
The team has established a non-profit organization to manage the ongoing operations of climate.us. This organization intends to expand the site’s current capabilities beyond simple data recovery.
Future plans may include the development of new tools and innovative educational content. These resources are intended to help ordinary people better understand how the climate is changing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was climate.gov taken offline?
The government stated the research did not meet “gold standard science” requirements as outlined in Executive Order 14303 and a June 2025 White House memorandum.
Where is the original climate.gov content now?
The content is available at climate.us, which was created by volunteers, and some research products are hosted at NOAA.gov/climate.
Who is overseeing the new climate.us website?
A newly formed non-profit organization is responsible for the site’s operations and the development of future educational tools.
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