Donald Trump’s administration will stop feeding the reference database listing the costly climatic disasters, according to an announcement Thursday, May 8. This is a new consequence of the important financing reductions of the American ocean and atmospheric observation agency (NOAA).
This database has existed for decades: it was set up in 1980 and was supplied up to 2024. It allows researchers, the media and the public to count events such as forest fires, tornadoes or hurricanes which cause more than a billion dollars of damage.
“Due to the evolution of priorities, statutory mandates and personnel changes, the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) of the NOAA will no longer update the database on climatic disasters causing more than a billion dollars of damage”specifies a banner On the home site home page. However, previous years will remain archived.
Between 1980 and 2024, the United States underwent 403 disasters causing for each more than a billion dollars of damage. Their cumulative cost exceeds $ 2,900 billion (2,556 billion euros). A graph shows a significant increase in the number of disasters in recent years, mainly due to global warming.
A choice criticized by climate defenders
“Hide billions of dollars in costs is Trump’s latest initiative to leave the Americans in ignorance about climatic disasters”regretted Maya Golden-Krasner, from the center for biological diversity. “Trump’s climate program leaves people in insecurity and without preparation while oil companies pocket record profits”she continued. “Indeveloped leaders must continue to identify the costs of climatic disasters and keep polluters responsible for damage. »»
Donald Trump, openly climatosceptic, withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement on the first day of his second term. His administration seems to follow the precepts of the “2025 project” written by a far -right reflection group which accuses the Noaa of being “Alarmist on the climate”. The NOAA recently had to separate from around 20 % of its workforce and the White House wants to make massive cuts in its operating budget.