Trump administration orders NOAA to review climate change-related grants

• The Trump administration ordered the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to search for climate change-related keywords in its grant programs. This directive comes amid Project 2025’s proposal to significantly downsize the federal agency.
• The Commerce Department instructed NOAA and its divisions to review grants for specific terms like “climate” and “greenhouse gas,” though it remains unclear what actions may be taken based on the findings.
• Experts warn that reducing NOAA’s scope could affect weather forecasting, disaster preparedness and environmental monitoring.

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The Trump administration has directed officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct keyword searches related to climate change across its grant programs. This directive comes amid proposals to significantly downsize the federal agency.

What specific keywords has NOAA been told to look for?

NOAA’s work includes funding research projects aimed at improving predictions of extreme weather and understanding climate change. The agency and its divisions, including the National Weather Service and the Office of Atmospheric Research, have been instructed by the Commerce Department to review existing grants and external funding sources for specified terms such as “climate,” “greenhouse gas,” “carbon” and “Paris Agreement.”

What are the potential consequences of this review?

It remains unclear what actions may be taken based on the findings from these searches or whether any funding may be affected. The directive appears to be separate from a recent internal review of NOAA’s websites conducted by the Department of Government Efficiency, which focused on diversity, equity and inclusion language.

Meanwhile, Project 2025, a policy document from the Heritage Foundation, proposed dismantling NOAA and shifting some of its responsibilities to the private sector, labeling the agency a “driver of the climate change alarm industry.”

President Donald Trump nominated some of Project 2025’s authors, including Russell Vought, for key cabinet positions. However, Trump previously said the document would not shape his administration’s agenda.

What happens next?

NOAA provides services such as weather forecasting, marine fisheries management, and space weather monitoring. Experts caution that any reduction in NOAA’s scope could impact forecasting accuracy, disaster preparedness, and environmental monitoring.