Climate Data Purge? Tool Silenced, Then Revived

A climate risk assessment tool, developed by FEMA, was reportedly removed after Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The Guardian has now recreated this resource, offering insights into future extreme weather risks.

In what some insiders are calling a ‘climate data purge,’ a valuable tool designed to help communities prepare for the escalating impacts of climate change was allegedly scrubbed from government servers. The Future Risk Index, created by FEMA, offered a localized, county-by-county breakdown of projected losses from events like:

• Extreme Heat
• Coastal Flooding
• Wildfires
• Hurricanes
• Drought

According to sources, the tool was initially released quietly, stripped of overt references to “climate,” in an attempt to shield it from potential political interference.

A Tool for Resilience

Victoria Salinas, former deputy administrator of resilience at FEMA, emphasized the importance of this data for local governments, insurers, and utilities. “It doesn’t matter if you call it climate change or not, the consequences are getting worse,” she stated, highlighting the tool’s crucial role in informed decision-making for rebuilding and disaster preparedness.

The removal of the Future Risk Index is part of a larger trend, with reports indicating that FEMA has also eliminated its main climate webpage and other resources acknowledging the consequences of global warming.

Resurrecting the Data

Fulton Ring, a data consultancy, stepped in to restore the Future Risk Index to public view. Rajan Desai and Jeremy Herzog, the company’s founders, expressed their dismay at the removal of taxpayer-funded work and the importance of keeping this information accessible.

The Stakes are High

The suppression of climate risk data comes at a critical time, as the U.S. faces an increasing number of climate-related disasters. Last year was the hottest ever recorded, with 27 billion-dollar disasters impacting communities across the country.

The Future Risk Index projects that, without significant emissions reductions, counties in New Jersey, New York, and Texas will face the highest risk from coastal flooding by the 2050s. Las Vegas, Dallas, and St. Louis are projected to be most vulnerable to extreme heat. California counties like Los Angeles and San Diego will be at high risk of wildfires, while Florida, including Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, faces significant hurricane risk.

Michael Coen, a former chief of staff to the FEMA administrator, warns, “It’s reckless to take down information that can save lives without taking the time to understand the consequences.”

Methodology

The Future Risk Index utilizes data from government and private organizations to project changes in extreme weather event frequency and intensity across U.S. counties. It calculates relative risk and economic losses under different climate scenarios, considering factors like social vulnerability and community resilience.

You can explore the recreated Future Risk Index and its underlying data to understand the projected climate risks in your community.