Eric Nost, a geography professor at the University of Guelph, is working hard with the Environmental Data Governance Initiative (EDGI). Their mission? To save vital environmental data from disappearing under the current U.S. administration.
Nost recalls how, during Trump’s first term in 2016, many websites changed, but not much data was lost. This time, however, the effort to remove access to crucial data seems more intense. Experts are seeing a wider sweep of deletions affecting census data, public health information, and environmental data.
“We’re archiving key indicators related to climate changes. This data helps us understand how our planet is evolving,” Nost explains. He emphasizes the importance of preserving data that shows how different communities are impacted by environmental changes, as these datasets have been particularly targeted for removal.
As of now, the EDGI has successfully archived around 60 valuable datasets. These range from predictions about sea-level rise to wildfire risks and pollution metrics. This is just a fraction of larger efforts by various organizations to keep important data safe. Nost highlights the danger in losing access to datasets that intersect climate and social issues, noting many have been removed but thankfully some were saved just in time.
Nost points out that climate change is not just an American problem; it’s a global challenge. Canadians should care about these data removals because U.S. agencies like NASA and NOAA provide essential information used around the world.
The impact extends further. Nost worries about how this loss will affect technologies, especially AI programs like ChatGPT, because they rely on access to comprehensive information. A reduced data pool risks a narrower understanding of climate issues.
Another concern he raises is the potential long-term effects of underfunding scientific research and data collection. “If we’re not collecting data this year, that gap will disrupt our ability to understand trends in the future,” he explains.
Nost finds the situation frustrating. He would rather focus on analyzing data and proposing solutions than fighting to protect it. “It’s not up to me and my colleagues to maintain this essential infrastructure. This is public data, and it should be the government’s responsibility to keep it accessible,” he stresses.
For those interested in helping, Nost suggests volunteering to download and archive data but encourages everyone to remain vigilant. “Question what you read from authoritative sources. Use tools like the Wayback Machine to see what information might have changed or disappeared,” he advises. Staying informed is key.
Check out this related article: Burundi’s Urban Areas at Risk: How Climate Change is Transforming Rainy Seasons into Public Hazards
Source linkUnited States government|climate change data|environmental data|data deletion|Canadian data
