Climate.gov Was Destroyed, But Open Data Saved It

Climate.gov was destroyed. Open data saved it

After the Trump administration defunded NOAA and took Climate.gov offline, former employees Rebecca Lindsey, Anna Eshelman, and Mary Lindsey rebuilt the vital resource as Climate.us. Thanks to US laws ensuring government data remains in the public domain, they preserved over 15 years of critical climate maps and reports. While this community-driven effort relies on donations, it stands as a powerful testament to how open data can rescue essential public infrastructure when government support fails.

"In the absence of government support, archives like this are works of journalism in themselves: ways to help us make stronger decisions."