Graphic of a research ship on the ocean with ocean animals swimming below

NOAA scientists face restrictions on foreign collaboration

Staff at a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been told to halt contact with foreign nationals, raising concerns about the future of international scientific cooperation.

Scott Dance reports for The Washington Post.


In short:

  • NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service has ordered employees to stop communicating with foreign nationals, affecting international agreements on seafood catch limits and tsunami tracking.
  • The restrictions come as the Trump administration reviews government science policies, with some NOAA websites and diversity-related pages already removed.
  • Democratic lawmakers are pushing back, fearing further efforts to weaken the agency and limit research on climate and environmental issues.

Key quote:

“Nerves are definitely frayed.”

— Craig McLean, former NOAA official

Why this matters:

NOAA plays a critical role in weather forecasting, climate research and fisheries management. Limiting international collaboration could hinder efforts to track natural disasters, enforce environmental protections and maintain scientific integrity. Scientists fear the agency is being sidelined, echoing concerns from Trump’s first term.

Read more: Heritage Foundation proposal to dissolve NOAA raises wildfire and agricultural risks, experts say

Scientist holding clear glass beaker.
Credit: CDC/Unsplash

Scientists face disruptions as Trump’s orders freeze research funding

Researchers across the U.S. are grappling with halted payments and uncertainty after Trump’s executive orders affected federal grant funding, sparking concerns about political interference in science.

Eric Holthaus reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
person wearing a hard hat and holding air quality monitoring equipment in HVAC room.

Environmental group left in limbo after federal grant suddenly vanishes

A South Carolina environmental nonprofit lost access to a $365,000 federal grant after the Trump administration froze Inflation Reduction Act funds, leaving critical air monitoring projects in marginalized communities at risk.

Lisa Sorg reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Collapsed house on a beach after a hurricane.

Trump administration considers overhauling FEMA’s role in disaster relief

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she would advise President Donald Trump to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its current form and give local officials more control over disaster aid distribution.

Ian Duncan reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Blue EV charger attached to a white car.

Order to halt EV charger funding faces hurdles

President Donald Trump has ordered states to stop using federal funds for electric vehicle chargers, but legal and market forces may limit his ability to derail the expansion.

Alexa St. John and Isabella O’Malley report for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Wind turbines on green hills under cloudless sky at dusk.

Clean energy advocates shift focus to jobs and profits in new messaging

Clean energy leaders are emphasizing economic benefits over climate concerns, hoping to appeal to policymakers who prioritize financial growth over environmental action.

Seth Borenstein and Alexa St. John report for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
A bank building with a red and blue National Bank sign on it.

US and Canadian banks exit net zero alliance, leaving questions for Europe

Six major U.S. banks and five Canadian banks have left the Net Zero Banking Alliance, a UN-backed initiative to align financial institutions with global climate goals, raising concerns about the future of banking’s role in climate action.

Rosie Frost reports for Euronews.

Keep reading...Show less
Overhead view of rows of multicolored shipping containers

China’s rare metal export ban forces US to seek new suppliers

A Chinese export ban on gallium and germanium, critical for semiconductors and clean energy, has left the US scrambling to secure alternative sources, with Canada emerging as a key potential supplier despite looming trade tensions.

Maddie Stone reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.