"This information is too important. It should remain in a protected place."
Former NOAA Staff Resurrect Shuttered Climate.gov as Independent Site
Washington, D.C. – Following the controversial shutdown of the federal Climate.gov website by the Trump administration in 2025, a team of former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees has launched a new, independent platform: Climate.us.
The new site, funded by a mix of anonymous grants and over $280,000 in crowdsourced donations, aims to preserve the public’s access to the nonpartisan, fact-based climate data that Climate.gov provided for years.
A Trusted Source, Dismantled
Climate.gov was a critical resource, drawing nearly 1 million monthly visitors and serving as a reliable bridge between complex scientific data and public understanding. Its closure, enacted through Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cutbacks, left a void for policymakers, educators, and citizens.
While most of the original data remains on government servers, former users report it is now difficult to find and navigate. The official NOAA climate site now redirects visitors to a less comprehensive page at NOAA.gov/climate.
A New Home for Critical Data
Rebecca Lindsey, the former program director for Climate.gov, leads the new project. She and two other ex-NOAA colleagues began rebuilding the website in August 2025, with Climate.us going live as of June 24, 2025.
"The fact that they got rid of it so easily is proof that we shouldn't make it vulnerable again," Lindsey stated, underscoring the need for a protected, independent repository.
The new platform is fully stocked with the tools users relied on:
- The old climate dashboard with key indicators.
- 15 years of archived news and stories.
- Expert blogs, educational materials, and interactive maps.
Stewardship, Not Advocacy
The project’s editorial philosophy remains staunchly nonpartisan. "Climate.gov was never about—and Climate.us will never be about—telling Americans what to do about climate change," Lindsey emphasized. "The site will continue to be nonpartisan but will be focusing on the science."
Sustainability is secured until at least February 2027 thanks to a one-time anonymous grant, supplemented by the crowdsourced funds.
“A Success Story”
Climate scientists and data advocates have praised the initiative. Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist at Texas Tech University, noted, "They're really helping people connect what's happening at the global scale to how it matters to their lives."
Gretchen Gehrke of the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) called the site a "success story" , proving the power of expert-driven, non-governmental efforts to protect vital public information.