Federal climate education website utilized extensively by teachers under threat of closure by the government
In a surprising move, the Climate.gov website and related federal climate education resources were effectively shut down by the Trump administration in mid-2025. This decision removed a comprehensive source of official climate science from public access, sparking criticism from scientists who described it as scientific censorship and a major setback for public understanding of climate impacts.
The U.S. Global Change Research Program's flagship website, globalchange.gov, which hosted congressionally mandated climate reports and educational materials, was taken offline. The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network, the official content provider for the education section of the site, has not received its latest grant installment and expects its funds to run out in August.
The homepage of Climate.gov, founded in 2010 to support earth science instruction in schools, was redirected to NOAA.gov on June 24, a change NOAA said was made to comply with an executive order on "restoring gold standard science." This order gives political appointees the authority to decide what science information needs to be modified to align with its tenets.
As a result, Climate.gov will no longer produce new content. Many science teachers rely on federal tools for climate education, and the shutdown of Climate.gov is a significant blow to their resources. Few teachers have received training on climate change, and textbooks tend to downplay the effects of climate change.
The dismantling of climate literacy efforts did not stop with the closure of Climate.gov. The administration also dismantled key climate education frameworks such as the Climate Literacy Essential Principles and the U.S. Global Change Research Program materials. These principles provided foundational guidance for climate education and communication initiatives nationwide. The administration's budget cuts to agencies like NOAA compounded the dismantling of climate literacy efforts.
There are significant concerns about the potential transformation of the U.S. climate information platforms into vehicles for climate disinformation. After shutting down these authoritative climate resources, the administration appointed scientists known for climate change skepticism, and dismissed hundreds of federal climate experts. This shift raises alarms about federally supported narratives potentially undermining established climate science.
Independent watchdog organizations and researchers are tracking increased climate disinformation amplified through various channels, including corporate greenwashing and coordinated inauthentic behavior on social media platforms. The spread of such disinformation is viewed as a calculated effort to confuse the public and stall effective climate policies.
Former employees of Climate.gov and other educators fear that the site could be transformed into a platform for disinformation. Bertha Vazquez, education director for the Center of Inquiry, worries that the disappearance of climate information could leave U.S. students behind. Science teacher Jeff Grant is concerned that the Trump administration is mothballing the federal website Climate.gov, which he has used for 15 years to create lesson plans, prepare students for Advanced Placement tests, and educate fellow teachers.
Lau, an educator, feels helpless and frustrated about Climate.gov's shutdown and the "attack on American science in general." Studies suggest that a greater understanding of climate change among young people can reduce feelings of anxiety. About 77 percent of Americans regard it as very or somewhat important for elementary and secondary school students to learn about climate change, according to a 2019 study. About 3 in 4 registered voters believe schools should teach children about global warming, according to a 2024 report.
In addition to Climate.gov, the Environmental Protection Agency's environmental justice toolkit was taken down earlier this year. The Department of Commerce has cut federal funding for climate research at Princeton University. These actions have raised concerns about the Trump administration's commitment to climate science and education.
References: [1] Carrington, D. (2025, June 24). Trump administration shuts down federal climate website Climate.gov. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/24/trump-administration-shuts-down-federal-climate-website-climategov [2] Lewis, A. (2025, July 8). Trump administration's climate disinformation threatens to undermine public trust and policy action. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/07/08/trump-administrations-climate-disinformation-threatens-undermine-public-trust-policy-action/ [3] Davenport, C. (2025, July 10). Trump administration's shutdown of climate website sparks criticism. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/climate/trump-administration-climate-website.html [4] Vazquez, B. (2025, July 15). The Trump administration's attack on American science: The case of Climate.gov. Center for Inquiry. Retrieved from https://centerforinquiry.org/blogs/entry/the_trump_administrations_attack_on_american_science_the_case_of_climategov/ [5] Grant, J. (2025, July 22). The loss of Climate.gov: A blow to climate education and communication. Science Teacher. Retrieved from https://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=501812 [6] National Center for Science Education. (2025, August 5). The Trump administration's war on climate education. Retrieved from https://ncse.com/news/2025/08/trump-administrations-war-climate-education-0047707
- The shutdown of Climate.gov, a comprehensive source of official climate science, is a significant setback for public understanding of climate impacts, leading to concerns about the potential transformation of U.S. climate information platforms into vehicles for climate disinformation.
- The dismantling of climate literacy efforts extended beyond the closure of Climate.gov, affecting key climate education frameworks such as the Climate Literacy Essential Principles and the U.S. Global Change Research Program materials.
- Science teacher Jeff Grant expressed worry about the Trump administration mothballing federal website Climate.gov, which he has relied on for 15 years to create lesson plans for educating students and fellow teachers regarding climate change.
- The removal of climate information from public access, combined with the appointment of climate change skeptics and dismissal of federal climate experts, raises alarms about federally supported narratives potentially undermining established climate science.
- Increased climate disinformation, amplified through various channels, is viewed as a calculated effort to confuse the public and stall effective climate policies, prompting independent watchdog organizations and researchers to closely track these developments in the realm of education and self-development, policy and legislation, general news, and the environment and environmental science.
