Report: Some USDA Staff Told To Refer To ‘Climate Change’ As ‘Weather Extremes’
- 7 years ago
The Trump administration has reportedly had a noticeable impact on the way some employees of the USDA, or U.S. Department of Agriculture, talk about climate change.
The Trump administration has reportedly had a noticeable impact on the way some employees of the USDA, or U.S. Department of Agriculture, talk about climate change.
According to The Guardian, which recently reported on the issue based on emails it had obtained, Bianca Moebius-Clune, director of soil health from a division called the Natural Resources Conservation Service, had released a directive of “terms that should be avoided by staff and those that should replace them.”
The outlet writes that she indicated “‘Climate change’ is in the ‘avoid’ category, to be replaced by ‘weather extremes.' Instead of ‘climate change adaption,' staff are asked to use ‘resilience to weather extremes.'”
The director also reportedly suggested dropping “the term ‘reduce greenhouse gases’...in favor of ‘build soil organic matter, increase nutrient use efficiency.' Meanwhile, ‘sequester carbon’ is ruled out and replaced by ‘build soil organic matter.'”
Other staff emails are said to either ask for additional guidance on terminology or express resistance to the changes, with the latter citing “scientific integrity of the work."
This isn’t the first time the administration has made an effort to influence the language around the issue; on January 20, the New York Times reported that “within moments of the inauguration of President Trump, the official White House website on Friday deleted nearly all mentions of climate change.”
And in March, Politico noted, “A supervisor at the Energy Department's international climate office told staff...not to use the phrases ‘climate change,’ ‘emissions reduction’ or ‘Paris Agreement’ in written memos, briefings or other written communication.”
President Trump has long expressed skepticism about climate change, even going so far as to claim it is “a hoax.”
During his June 1 speech announcing the U.S.’s pull out from the Paris agreement, Trump reportedly did not mention climate change once.
Instead, he cited high financial burdens, the loss of millions of jobs, and damage to sectors like coal and natural gas as his reasons for the withdrawal.
The Trump administration has reportedly had a noticeable impact on the way some employees of the USDA, or U.S. Department of Agriculture, talk about climate change.
According to The Guardian, which recently reported on the issue based on emails it had obtained, Bianca Moebius-Clune, director of soil health from a division called the Natural Resources Conservation Service, had released a directive of “terms that should be avoided by staff and those that should replace them.”
The outlet writes that she indicated “‘Climate change’ is in the ‘avoid’ category, to be replaced by ‘weather extremes.' Instead of ‘climate change adaption,' staff are asked to use ‘resilience to weather extremes.'”
The director also reportedly suggested dropping “the term ‘reduce greenhouse gases’...in favor of ‘build soil organic matter, increase nutrient use efficiency.' Meanwhile, ‘sequester carbon’ is ruled out and replaced by ‘build soil organic matter.'”
Other staff emails are said to either ask for additional guidance on terminology or express resistance to the changes, with the latter citing “scientific integrity of the work."
This isn’t the first time the administration has made an effort to influence the language around the issue; on January 20, the New York Times reported that “within moments of the inauguration of President Trump, the official White House website on Friday deleted nearly all mentions of climate change.”
And in March, Politico noted, “A supervisor at the Energy Department's international climate office told staff...not to use the phrases ‘climate change,’ ‘emissions reduction’ or ‘Paris Agreement’ in written memos, briefings or other written communication.”
President Trump has long expressed skepticism about climate change, even going so far as to claim it is “a hoax.”
During his June 1 speech announcing the U.S.’s pull out from the Paris agreement, Trump reportedly did not mention climate change once.
Instead, he cited high financial burdens, the loss of millions of jobs, and damage to sectors like coal and natural gas as his reasons for the withdrawal.