EPA erases references to human-caused climate change from websites – E&E News by POLITICO

EPA Website Revisions and Implications for Climate Change Awareness

Overview of Changes

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently revised its climate change webpages, notably removing references to human contributions to global warming. Key information regarding anthropogenic greenhouse gases and their impact on rising temperatures has been deleted, alongside links to scientific data and analyses.

Details of Website Modifications

1. The EPA’s main climate change page now directs users to a subsection on climate “causes” that highlights only natural phenomena such as changes in Earth’s orbit and solar activity.
2. Two important subsections, Climate Change Indicators and Climate Change Impacts and Analysis, have been removed.

Previous Content vs. Current Content

• Earlier versions of the EPA website, archived by the Wayback Machine, emphasized human-induced causes of climate change, stating unequivocally that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans, and land.
• These versions included data showing over 95% probability that human activities have been the dominant cause of global warming since the 1950s, with charts on emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases.
• The current version omits human contributions entirely, focusing solely on natural processes such as volcanic activity, solar variations, and natural greenhouse gases.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13: Climate Action

The removal of scientific information about human-induced climate change from the EPA website undermines efforts to promote SDG 13, which calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Accurate and transparent communication of climate science is essential for informed policy-making and public awareness.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

By eliminating data on climate impacts and risks, the EPA diminishes understanding of how climate change affects human health, infrastructure, and water resources. This hampers progress toward SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Clear information on human contributions to greenhouse gas emissions supports the transition to clean energy sources, a core objective of SDG 7. The current website revisions may delay progress by obscuring the drivers of emissions.

SDG 15: Life on Land

Understanding the causes and impacts of climate change is critical to protecting terrestrial ecosystems, as outlined in SDG 15. The removal of climate indicators and impact analyses reduces the availability of data necessary for ecosystem conservation strategies.

Responses and Criticism

• An EPA spokesperson described the changes as routine edits aligning with the Trump administration’s priorities, emphasizing economic growth over climate science.
• Climate scientists and environmental organizations have criticized the removal of data as misleading and an attempt to suppress facts about human-driven climate change.
• The Union of Concerned Scientists and Environmental Defense Fund have initiated legal action against the Department of Energy concerning a controversial report that downplays human causes of climate change.

Conclusion

The EPA’s recent website revisions represent a significant shift away from transparent communication of climate science, potentially hindering progress toward multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Accurate dissemination of information on human contributions to climate change is vital for effective climate action, public health, and environmental sustainability.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article focuses on climate change, human contributions to global warming, and government actions affecting climate science communication.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article mentions climate change impacts on human health as part of EPA’s Climate Impacts and Risk Analysis project.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • References to human activities such as deforestation and land use changes that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions relate to terrestrial ecosystem management.
4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Mentions of burning fossil fuels for energy as a source of greenhouse gas emissions connect to energy production and consumption patterns.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: Reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.2: Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests.
4. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Indicators
   • Measurements of carbon dioxide, methane, and other heat-trapping pollution concentrations and emissions over time, as referenced in EPA’s previous climate indicators webpage.
2. Climate Change Impact Indicators
   • Modeled projections of climate change effects on human health, infrastructure, water resources, and economic sectors, as part of EPA’s Climate Impacts and Risk Analysis (CIRA) project.
3. Human Activities Related Indicators
   • Data on sources of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities such as fossil fuel burning, deforestation, agriculture, and industrial processes.
4. Policy and Institutional Indicators
   • Inferred from the discussion on government communication and policy changes affecting climate science dissemination and regulation (e.g., EPA’s endangerment finding repeal process).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: eenews.net