Trump’s US Funding Cuts Severely Impact UK Climate Research & Global Environmental Data

UK-based climate scientists are grappling with significant setbacks to their critical research projects and have lost access to vital data sources, following sweeping funding reductions initiated by Donald Trump’s administration.

Major US institutions, including NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are facing billions of dollars in budget cuts under the current US President. These austerity measures extend to the cancellation of numerous research grants, notably impacting climate science programs at US universities.

The ripple effect is profound, with researchers across various UK universities reporting direct consequences due to the loss of US collaborators and restrictions on crucial data access.

Key Research Areas and Data Threatened

• Air Pollution Monitoring: Professor Laura Wilcox of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the University of Reading, has lost access to AirNow, a comprehensive dataset tracking global urban pollution via sensors located at over 80 US embassies and consulates worldwide. This valuable 15-year dataset was abruptly taken offline in March, with the US State Department citing “budget constraints.”
• Atmospheric CO2 Observations: Professor Wilcox also voiced deep concern over potential closures of NOAA’s globally renowned observation sites in Mauna Loa, Hawaii, and Boulder, Colorado. These sites are pivotal for long-standing atmospheric CO2 measurements. “We’re talking about losing observations of moisture, of ice, of air quality, of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It’s vandalism. It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” she stated.
• Global Climate Indicators: Professor Piers Forster, founding director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds, highlighted that the impact of the “Trump 2.0” administration on the international science community surpasses that of his first term. While still accessing some US data for annual global climate updates, he noted that “several US authors were unable to contribute their expertise, harming our ability to fully understand recent trends.”
• Satellite Data Discontinuation: Dr. Scott Osprey, a senior NCAS research scientist at the University of Oxford, relies heavily on data from US satellites. He noted the discontinuation of programs like NASA’s TIMED satellite, which has provided 25 years of “gold dust” data on atmospheric and upper atmospheric climate change. The absence of future missions to fill this void is creating significant data gaps.
• Greenland Ice Sheet Study: The ICECAPS project, a 15-year collaboration between UK and US researchers focused on the melting Greenland ice sheet, is facing an indefinite pause due to funding uncertainty from the US National Science Foundation. Professor Ryan Neely of the University of Leeds, who works on the project, described how US colleagues are being forced to remove equipment from Greenland this summer, effectively ending the joint effort.
• Research Aircraft Instrumentation: Dr. Chris Reed of NCAS’s research aircraft team, which measures greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, noted that NASA can no longer fulfill a contract to provide crucial instrumentation. Uncertainty over job security within NASA has deprioritized external commitments, with a moratorium on new agreements further complicating collaborations.

Broader Implications and Reactions

Around 16,000 US federal workers have already been dismissed due to executive orders, with more job losses anticipated at NASA and NOAA under the President’s 2026 budget proposals. Professor Neely described the situation as “like the house I grew up in is getting burned down,” lamenting the loss of decades of institutional knowledge.

Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, observed a “chilling effect” on climate science, making it harder for US researchers to engage in collaborative networks. He also highlighted a concerning trend in the UK, with political movements appearing to align with Trump’s climate agenda.

Conversely, Rachel Cauley, communications director at the White House, stated that President Trump ran on “defunding woke, weaponised, and wasteful government.” She justified the cuts as proudly targeting “the Green New Scam” and projects like “gender-responsive agricultural adaptation,” asserting that “Under Trump’s leadership, the US is funding real science again.”