Facing Budget Cuts, NOAA Scales Back Collection of Greenhouse Gas Data

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is cutting back its measurements of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as Congress shrinks its budget — even as fossil-fuel industries claim that the science of climate change isn't good enough to justify regulation.

The existing climate research budget crunch may be made worse by across-the-board cuts mandated if Congress and the White House fail to reach a budget agreement by January 2013.

During the administration of George W. Bush — which tried to emphasize scientific doubt and delay regulation — the strategy was to delay action by calling for more study. But that administration cut back measurements as well.

• "Budget Woes Force a Halt to Climate Monitoring at 12 Ground Stations," ClimateWire, September 4, 2012, by Lauren Morello.
• Previous Story: WatchDog of July 17, 2008.
• "U.S. Scales Back Climate Science Via Satellites," Associated Press, June 4, 2007.