Trump plans to shut down climate research facility tracking emissions

The Trump administration plans to cancel its lease for a government laboratory in Hilo, Hawaii, crucial for tracking rising greenhouse gas levels. The Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), helps maintain the Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO), a key site for monitoring carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and climate change.

Trump moves to shut down key climate lab

The Mauna Loa Observatory on Hawaii’s Big Island has been collecting atmospheric CO₂ data since the late 1950s. The MLO data led to the Keeling Curve, a graph showing the steady increase of CO₂ concentrations over time, providing evidence of human-driven climate change.

The NOAA lab in Hilo is one of several federal facilities whose leases expire this year as part of a government cost-cutting plan. While the Mauna Loa Observatory isn’t on the closure list, scientists at the Hilo lab are vital for its operations, data collection, and atmospheric trend analysis.

The potential closure raises concerns among climate experts, as it could disrupt one of the longest-running records of greenhouse gas levels. The Keeling Curve has been instrumental in understanding global warming and shaping climate policies.

“Any disruption to this research would be a significant setback for climate science,” said a senior NOAA scientist, who wished to remain anonymous. “The Mauna Loa Observatory is one of the few places on Earth to measure CO₂ levels far from human pollution sources, giving us the clearest picture of atmospheric changes.”

NOAA reports global CO₂ levels are rising at an unprecedented rate, contributing to record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather. In 2023, scientists recorded the highest CO₂ levels at Mauna Loa, reinforcing concerns about climate change.

Despite this, the Trump administration has dismissed climate science and sought to cut funding for environmental programs. The Project 2025 policy proposal suggests dismantling NOAA, calling it a source of “climate alarmism.”

Government justification and response

NOAA hasn’t confirmed if the Hilo lab closure is final, but it’s on a list of government facilities facing lease terminations. A General Services Administration (GSA) spokesperson said the agency is “reviewing options to optimise space and lease terms.”

“The building lease issue is in flux, so there’s nothing we can tell you at this time,” said NOAA spokesman Theo Stein in an email to the Washington Post.

However, critics argue that closing this crucial facility could undermine climate research efforts amid accelerating global warming.

House Democrats are alarmed over the potential closure. A group of lawmakers, including Representatives Jared Huffman (California), Zoe Lofgren (California), Maxine Dexter (Oregon), and Gabe Amo (Rhode Island), sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick demanding clarity on NOAA’s facility closures.

“NOAA provides critical information about extreme weather, coastal hazards, and climate change,” the letter stated. “Closing field facilities will compromise NOAA’s ability to provide these services and harm local communities and economies that rely on them.”

Impact beyond climate science

The Hilo lab isn’t the only facility at risk. Nearly two dozen NOAA field offices—including those managing marine sanctuaries in Florida and Washington, and National Weather Service facilities in Oregon, Oklahoma, and Maryland—are also on the potential closures list.

These cuts come as the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service push for massive reductions in government real estate and personnel.

The fate of the Global Monitoring Laboratory in Hilo remains uncertain as NOAA and GSA review options. Scientists, environmental advocates, and lawmakers urge the administration to reconsider the closure, stressing the importance of uninterrupted climate monitoring.

“The data from Mauna Loa is invaluable,” said a NOAA climate scientist. “We cannot afford to lose one of the world’s most important climate monitoring sites at such a critical time.”

As discussions continue, many wonder: Is the U.S. government willing to sacrifice key climate research for budget cuts?

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