Unequal Access to Climate Data

While the integrity and accessibility of climate data have long been cornerstones of climate action, the unequal distribution of critical climate data is receiving renewed attention. A 2024 federal report found that climate data collection is significantly lacking in U.S. territories as compared to U.S. states, even when risks are higher in those territories.

Similar inequalities are seen globally; for example, while Mozambique has recently pioneered and deployed an advanced cyclone warning system, many other African nations lack similar access to the forecasting and monitoring available in the West.

Also of concern are changes to collection of and access to federal climate-related data in 2025, though a lawsuit by farmers prompted the reinstatement of climate-related information on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website.  Without more widespread access to climate data, action by planners to both mitigate and adapt to climate change in many of the most vulnerable places will be far more challenging.