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US's climate.gov site, taken down by Trump, relaunched by nonprofit
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- DeepHorus
US Climate.gov Site, Taken Down by Trump Administration, Relaunched by Nonprofit
A landmark U.S. government website dedicated to climate science has been resurrected by a nonprofit organization, just over a year after the Trump administration ordered its removal. The site, Climate.gov, was relaunched on June 23, 2026, by the nonpartisan group Climate Central, providing public access to the wealth of data and educational resources that had been abruptly taken offline in early 2025. This move marks a significant victory for climate advocates who argued that the site was a critical public resource for understanding climate change impacts across the United States.
The original Climate.gov, managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), served as a comprehensive portal for federal climate data, educational materials, and scientific reports. Its removal in February 2025 came as part of a broader, administration-wide effort to diminish the public profile of climate change information. Officials at the time cited a "need to streamline federal web presence," but critics widely interpreted the action as politically motivated to suppress information at odds with the administration's environmental policies.
Following its disappearance, the content was feared lost, but Climate Central had been working to rebuild it. The nonprofit successfully restored over 15,000 individual data pages, 2,400 original articles, and the site’s renowned climate literacy modules. "We believed this information belonged to the American people," stated Dr. Sarah Chen, Executive Director of Climate Central in a press release. The restored site now operates under the domain Climate.us, a deliberate choice to emphasize its continued service to the U.S. public despite no longer being a government entity.
The relaunch has significant implications for public access to authoritative climate science. Scientists, educators, and policymakers had expressed alarm over the original takedown, warning it created a dangerous "information vacuum" where misinformation could flourish. By restoring the archive, Climate Central ensures that critical datasets—such as local sea-level rise projections, extreme weather event histories, and agricultural impact studies—remain accessible for research and community planning. The move sets a precedent for non-governmental organizations stepping in to preserve essential public scientific data.
Reactions from the scientific community have been overwhelmingly positive but tempered. Dr. Michael Mann, a prominent climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, called it "a vital lifeline for climate communication and education." However, some experts noted the challenges of sustainability without government funding. The restoration effort was reportedly funded by a combination of private grants and a $3 million emergency fundraising campaign. Ensuring the site's long-term future without federal support will require innovative and stable funding models.
The outlook for Climate.us is one of cautious optimism. Climate Central has committed to maintaining the site for at least the next five years. The organization is now focusing on developing new features, including enhanced visualization tools for climate data and expanded regional impact summaries. Legally, the site’s status remains secure, as the data is in the public domain, but the battle over its preservation underscores the ongoing political tensions surrounding climate communication in the United States.
Ultimately, the resurrection of Climate.gov highlights both the vulnerability and resilience of public scientific infrastructure. As climate impacts accelerate, the demand for clear, trusted, and accessible data will only grow. The success of this nonprofit-led initiative may offer a blueprint for safeguarding other critical public information resources in an era of increasing political polarization.
