Impact of Trump Administration on Vital Data Resources for Health and Environment
Shortly after President Trump took office, significant health and environmental information crucial for doctors and farmers began to vanish from federal websites. The new administration quickly targeted the US Agency for International Development (USAID), halting funding and cutting off essential data that global communities depend on to mitigate famine and prepare for natural disasters.
According to a former contractor, who spoke anonymously to avoid potential repercussions, the removal of these resources caused widespread concern amongst those who rely on data for decision-making. “As we witnessed the websites being taken down and data disappearing, we were alarmed — because data is truth,” they stated. “Now it’s all too easy to state something as fact without any evidence to support it.”
The US compiles extensive weather and climate data, which plays a vital role in humanitarian efforts worldwide. This data is essential for predicting droughts that can lead to food shortages, assessing risks of flash flooding, and preparing for hurricanes. The erratic changes that occurred under Trump’s administration have already impeded lifesaving work, even if some systems return online.
A devastating famine in sub-Saharan Africa during the 1980s claimed about a million lives in Ethiopia, prompting the establishment of the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS NET). This system analyzes weather, agricultural, and market data to anticipate famine and facilitate aid distribution in a timely manner to avert disasters.
In certain regions like Sudan, where over half the population faces acute food insecurity due to conflict and climate change, FEWS NET has been the sole source of frequent famine reports amidst rapidly changing conditions.
“Without timely data, policymakers operate on outdated information, which results in a misallocation of resources and loss of lives,” warns Tanya Boudreau, a former FEWS NET chief. Anticipating future conditions is vital to aid workers, who emphasize that intervention comes too late once starvation sets in.
The FEWS NET operations were halted after the Trump administration issued a blanket stop-work order on humanitarian aid just a week post-inauguration. Despite receiving limited funds to restart some operations, the program remains in a state of uncertainty, lacking permission to share vital data as it previously did.
From the outset of his administration, Trump sought to dismantle USAID, which has spearheaded humanitarian missions since 1961, including the FEWS NET initiative. One of his first acts was to freeze foreign aid funding, claiming it did not align with American priorities.
By March, more than 80 percent of USAID’s programs had been eliminated. Although some programs deemed life-saving, including FEWS NET, received a waiver, it was insufficient to fully reactivate the system.
Chemonics International, tasked with managing the early warning system, faced payment delays for past services. US employees involved in the program were furloughed, while field staff in over 20 countries were let go with no funding available for their return. The administration eventually released payments in April, yet doubts linger regarding the continuity and sufficiency of future funding to restore FEWS NET effectively.
The system’s effectiveness relied on collaboration between various federal agencies collecting satellite data, such as the US Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Experts warn that partnerships supporting FEWS NET may be jeopardized as the Trump administration severely cuts back on NOAA and other federal resources. Contracts providing essential modeling tools were terminated, potentially diminishing the granularity of local analyses.
Another critical component, the data hub that traditionally provided famine forecasts online, has yet to be reinstated. Without it, Chemonics may need to revert to less efficient methods, such as emailing documents instead of providing interactive access to data.
Before 2019, FEWS NET shared forecasts mainly through PDFs. The implementation of the data hub enabled diverse stakeholders, from government officials to aid workers and the public, to analyze the information in relation to local contexts. This also opened access to extensive historical data previously available only to those on longstanding mailing lists.
During the previous administration, USAID emphasized the democratization of data. Now, with the FEWS NET hub down, access to critical data has disappeared. “Daily, it feels as though we take steps backward,” reflects a knowledgeable contractor.
Even if a more streamlined version of the system resumes operations, the disruption from recent months will impact future famine forecasting. “We’re experiencing a historic gap in data coverage for the first time in 40 years. This lost record will haunt us,” Boudreau asserts. “Our ability to narrative the experiences within food-insecure regions hinges on the availability of the latest data.”
The State Department clarified in an email that the life-saving work waiver does not imply final decisions regarding the future of the program; it merely keeps specific initiatives alive during a broader review process.
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