Eric Nost, a geography professor at the University of Guelph, is working hard to save important data on climate change. He collaborates with the Environmental Data Governance Initiative (EDGI) to protect these records from being deleted by the current U.S. government.
This effort is not new for Nost. After Donald Trump’s election in 2016, many data sets were altered or removed. However, this time, Nost has noticed a quicker and more extensive attempt to erase critical information, including basic demographic data and public health records, on top of environmental data.
“We’re focused on archiving essential indicators of climate change, as well as data about who is affected by these changes,” Nost explained. So far, the team has preserved around 60 data sets, which include vital information such as sea level rise estimates and wildfire risks. This doesn’t even account for other projects that focus on health and human rights data.
“Data sets that link climate with social issues are increasingly under threat,” Nost said. Fortunately, they have been able to protect crucial information before it disappeared.
Nost emphasizes the global nature of climate change and warns that Canadians should care about U.S. data removal. The U.S. government, through agencies like NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides key climate insights that many other countries rely on.
This loss of data can affect tools powered by AI, like ChatGPT, making it harder to understand climate issues. Nost fears that less funding for scientific initiatives could lead to incomplete records. “If we stop funding now, we may lose an entire year’s worth of vital information,” he warned.
Nost finds the data removals disheartening. “I’d rather analyze the data and suggest improvements,” he stated. He believes it shouldn’t be up to him and his colleagues to fill in the gaps left by the government. “This data is publicly funded, and it’s the government’s responsibility to maintain it,” he added.
For those interested in helping, Nost suggests volunteering to download and upload data sets. However, he emphasizes the importance of staying informed. “Be skeptical of what you read. Use tools like the Wayback Machine to see what’s missing or changed,” he advised. Being proactive and aware is crucial in this evolving situation.
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