Trump Administration Revokes Climate Health Finding Despite Scientific Evidence

Fri Feb 13 2026 09:40:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Trump administration's recent decision to revoke a key scientific finding that links climate change to public health risks is met with widespread criticism from the scientific community, which cites extensive research supporting the dangers posed by a warming planet.

In a controversial move, the Trump administration rescinded a scientific finding that frames climate change as a public health hazard, labeling it as a scam. However, extensive research, including recent studies, consistently shows significant increases in health-related issues tied to climate change, including heat-related deaths and diseases. Experts emphasize the urgency of recognizing and addressing these dangers, contradicting the administration's claims.

The Trump administration on Thursday revoked a scientific finding that climate change is a danger to public health, which President Donald Trump dismissed as 'a scam.' However, numerous scientific studies indicate that climate change poses documented and quantifiable harm to human health.

Research has consistently shown an alarming rise in diseases and deaths linked to climate change—thousands of fatalities each year in an increasingly warming world.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed in 2009, under the Obama administration, that climate change endangers public health and the finding has been crucial for establishing regulations aimed at combating global warming.

Recent studies have reinforced this finding, revealing significant increases in heat-related deaths in the United States. For instance, a study published in JAMA reports that the annual heat-related death toll has more than doubled from 1999 to 2023, with 2,325 deaths this year alone.

A major 2021 study in Nature Climate Change examined data from 732 locations across 43 countries, including 210 in the U.S., finding that over one-third of heat deaths were attributable to human-induced climate change, resulting in approximately 9,700 deaths annually from fossil fuel emissions.

Despite the administration's stance, experts continue to highlight the dire public health implications of climate change. Dr. Howard Frumkin, professor emeritus at the University of Washington, stated, It boggles the mind that the administration is rescinding the endangerment finding; it’s akin to insisting that the world is flat or denying that gravity is a thing. Dr. Jonathan Patz noted that the 2021 heat dome, which caused over 600 deaths in the Northwest, was significantly amplified by climate change.

With over 29,000 peer-reviewed studies available on climate impact on health since the government first recognized this issue 15 years ago, more than 60% were published in the last five years alone. These studies span various aspects of health, from premature deaths to illnesses exacerbated by climate change.

Furthermore, as climate change continues to escalate, various health issues—ranging from heat-related illnesses to mental health strains from environmental displacement—are becoming more prevalent. Experts are calling for greater recognition of these risks, asserting that understanding the health impacts from climate change is crucial for future policies.