Trump Administration Cancels Support for Annual Arctic Report Card

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Tuesday that the federal government will no longer coordinate the 2026 Arctic Report Card. The benchmark report has provided annual environmental updates on the Arctic region to the public and the scientific community since 2006. Kim Doster, the communications director for NOAA, stated that while the agency is withdrawing its coordination of the report, all data historically contributed by NOAA will remain publicly available. Doster added that other NOAA programs will continue to support research related to national security, weather prediction, and the economic vitality of coastal communities.

Scientists and former officials have expressed concern over the decision. Rick Spinrad, a former NOAA administrator, described the move as unconscionable, noting that the report provides a critical baseline for planning infrastructure in Alaska. Twila Moon, a scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, stated that the move represents a loss of United States leadership in environmental intelligence. Some authors of the report are currently attempting to find a way to publish the 2026 edition without federal support.

The Arctic has been identified as the fastest warming region on the planet. The December 2025 report noted that the region experienced its warmest year since 1900 and that winter sea ice reached its lowest annual maximum extent in the 47 year satellite record. Other findings included the degradation of water quality in Alaskan watersheds due to thawing permafrost.

Outlets with a center left lean frame this decision as part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to suppress climate science and dismantle environmental regulations. These reports cite other examples, such as the removal of a climate change chapter from a reference work for the judiciary and the repeal of greenhouse gas emission regulations. A center lean outlet framed the event as a sign that United States climate science is under siege.