· 2 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The Trump administration is cutting key climate-monitoring instruments from U.S. satellite programs, refocusing missions solely on weather forecasting and sidelining efforts to track carbon emissions, air pollution, and ocean health
• This decision affects satellites like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory and NOAA’s next-gen GeoXO system, sparking concern from scientists and environmental experts
🔭 The context: Climate and weather data are deeply interconnected, but Trump’s budget directives follow the Project 2025 agenda aimed at dismantling federal climate research infrastructure
• Instruments for tracking CO₂, air quality, and coastal water conditions are now labeled “non-essential,” despite warnings they are vital for disaster preparedness and long-term forecasting
• Agencies like NASA and NOAA are left scrambling to either defend or reprioritize these programs under severe political pressure
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Removing these instruments undermines the U.S.’s ability to monitor key climate threats like wildfire smoke, toxic algae, and extreme heat — all of which have weather-related consequences
• Without comprehensive satellite data, the scientific foundation for both climate action and accurate forecasting weakens significantly, at a time when extreme events are escalating
⏭️ What's next: Congress could still intervene to restore funding in budget negotiations
• If not reversed, these cuts risk setting back U.S. climate science capabilities for decades, leaving critical blind spots in environmental monitoring and public safety systems
💬 One quote: "This is a complete fallacy, weather versus climate. It is one and the same." – Lars Peter Riishøjgaard, atmospheric scientist and director at the University of Maryland
📈 One stat: 4 major instruments – The number of climate-monitoring tools now removed from current and future U.S. satellite missions under the Trump administration’s “weather-only” policy
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