Trump's EPA Rewrites Climate Reality
Facts, Fired
Disclaimer: This post was written in part by Dr. Andrew Rosenberg in his personal capacity and not on behalf of any organization or entity. The views expressed herein are Dr. Rosenberg’s and his alone.
Reading, listening or watching the news can really mess with your head. Okay, that’s not news to SciLight readers. I worry that it just becomes the norm for data and carefully researched and analyzed facts to seemingly just be ignored without consequences.
The Environmental Protection (EPA) changed its website, removing all reference to anthropogenic climate change. Only natural drivers of climate change are now included. This despite overwhelming evidence that the largest driver of climate change is from human activities as the rest of the world acknowledges.
The Government Is Trump
Reportedly, the EPA spokesperson said that the changes aligned government information with the priorities of President Donald Trump. I find that flabbergasting, worrying, horrific, and frankly nonsense. Huh? Government information isn’t based on research, evidence, analysis, lived experience, traditional knowledge or any other process by which society understands the world around us! No need, government information is just whatever an elderly man in the White House says it is. In other words, government information no longer really can be considered “information.” It is now fully an expression of unsubstantiated opinion.
Unfortunately, the EPA isn’t the only culprit of course. Data sets are disappearing all across our federal government. Organizations such as the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI) are working to save federal data before it disappears. It’s a huge task! But it matters. Because, no, government information should not ever be just the unsubstantiated opinion of any person. It should be real information that people everywhere can rely on.
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