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Trump Admin Kills Arctic Report Card After 20 Years

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The top of the world is warming faster than any other region. For 20 years, the Arctic Report Card chronicled the extraordinary transformation. The report, produced annually by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), documented shrinking sea ice, melting permafrost, and shifting ecosystems. It was a key resource for scientists, policymakers, and Indigenous communities.

The Trump administration has decided to end the publication of this report, a move that critics say undermines climate science and transparency. The cancellation comes as the Arctic continues to warm at nearly four times the global average. Without the Report Card, researchers will lose a consistent, peer-reviewed assessment of Arctic change.

The decision has been met with widespread dismay from the scientific community, which relied on the report for long-term data and annual updates. The Report Card was not just a scientific document; it was a tool for informing global climate policy and adaptation strategies. Its termination raises concerns about the availability of crucial climate information.

While the administration has not provided extensive reasoning, the move aligns with broader efforts to downplay climate science. The loss of this annual assessment leaves a gap in understanding one of the planet's most rapidly changing regions.