The US government’s premier climate science website, Climate.gov, is set to shut down due to the mass layoffs of its staff. The site, which provides critical information on climate change and related topics, will no longer publish new content after most of its staff were fired in May.
The firings came as part of a broader purge of employees within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with multiple former staff members describing a targeted attack by political appointees. Climate.gov was designed to be a neutral source of information on climate science, but now its fate hangs in the balance.
Former program manager Rebecca Lindsey claimed that her boss told her the site’s funding would be cut due to “above” demands from the new administration. Lindsey said the content team created and maintained by contracted staff of about 10 was removed, leaving only pre-written, scheduled content on the site.
The cuts have raised concerns among former staff members, who fear climate.gov may be used as a propaganda tool for the current administration. Tom Di Liberto, a former NOAA spokesperson, warned that sparsely remaining web developers could signal a sinister intent to co-opt the site for anti-science content.
With hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and a reputation as a trusted source of climate information, Climate.gov’s shutdown has sparked fears about the erosion of public education on climate science. Former staff members worry that limiting access to factual climate information will leave the public less prepared for the impacts of climate change.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/climate-website-shut-down-noaa