READER’S EDITORIAL: MUSK POSES THREAT TO CRITICAL CLIMATE DATA

By Roger Coppock

Image: measurements in Hawaii from 1960 to present show exponential rise in CO2 levels fueling climate change.

February 13, 2025 (La Mesa) — NOAA staffers report that Musk’s minions have arrived with orders to wreck everything.  This apparently includes climate data gathering.  Should they succeed in shutting data collection down, attempts to fix the climate will become as effective as driving a car blindfolded.

Many of the threatened measurements are duplicated by scientists outside the USA, in what should now be called the ‘Free World.’  That may cushion the loss.  However, I am aware of some databases that aren’t. Two “,ade in the USA” climate datasets immediately come to mind:

• The Global Historical Climate Network, or GHCN.  This is a collection of data from ground stations all over the planet.  Collecting these data requires a diplomatic effort and international cooperation, the kind of things which Trump and his followers passionately hate.  GHCN also employs clerical workers, working class jobs seen as waste by MAGAs.  These features likely make GHCN what military planners call a “high value target.” (I include 3 outputs from my analysis of GHCN data.)
• The CO₂ measurements from Hawaii, the longest CO₂ series started by Dr. Charles David Keeling. I doubt that the fossil fuel industry wants the general public to know about the exponential rise.

Roger Coppock is a retired computer scientist and amateur climate scientist who has helped decode’ data from NASA’s new Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite.

The opinions voiced in this reader’s editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East CountyMagazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.(link sends e-mail)