The EPA quietly edited a webpage on the causes of global warming, removing multiple explicit references to human-driven warming while keeping the statement that recent changes cannot be explained by natural causes alone. The revised page leaves a single human-related comparison in a section about volcanoes and notes humans emit far more CO2 than volcanoes annually. The edits drew criticism from scientists and advocates, who say the changes undermine scientific integrity amid broader policy rollbacks, including a proposed repeal of the endangerment finding.
EPA Removes Most References to Human Role on Climate Causes Page, Sparking Concern
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quietly revised a webpage that explains the causes of global warming, removing several explicit references to human-driven climate change while retaining language that recent warming cannot be explained by natural causes alone.
What Changed
Earlier versions of the page stated clearly that "This record shows that the climate varies naturally over a wide range of time scales, but this variability does not explain the observed warming since the 1950s. Rather, it is extremely likely (>95%) that human activities have been the dominant cause of that warming." The previous text also emphasized that "burning fossil fuels changes the climate more than any other human activity."
On the revised page, explicit references to human causes have been pared back. The only direct mention of people appears in a section about volcanoes: "Volcanic particles from a single eruption do not produce long-term climate change because they remain in the atmosphere for a much shorter time than greenhouse gases. In addition, human activities emit more than 100 times as much carbon dioxide as volcanoes each year." The page still states that "recent climate changes cannot be explained by natural causes alone."
Agency Response and Reaction
An EPA spokesperson, by email, wrote that the agency "no longer takes marching orders from the climate cult." The spokesperson added: "We uphold gold-standard science at the Trump EPA and are committed to fulfilling our statutory obligations," and noted that earlier versions of the page remain available in the agency's archives.
Scientists and advocacy groups responded sharply. Rachel Cleetus, senior policy director for the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said: "EPA is trying to bury the evidence on human-caused climate change, but it cannot change the reality of climate science or the harsh toll climate impacts are taking on people’s lives. This isn’t just about data on a website; it’s an attack on independent science and scientific integrity."
Context and Policy Implications
The revisions come amid a broader effort by the administration to scale back federal climate action. Notably, the EPA has proposed repealing the "endangerment finding," the legal determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health and therefore may be regulated. Earlier this year, the Department of Energy released a report that many scientists said downplayed both the severity of climate change and the role of human emissions.
The administration has also moved to loosen regulations affecting vehicles and power plants and has sought to reduce funding and programs aimed at addressing climate change. Scientists warn that a warming climate continues to drive more extreme weather — including heat waves and stronger storms — with real human and economic costs.
What Remains Clear
Despite the edits to the EPA page, the broad scientific consensus remains: human activities, notably the burning of fossil fuels, are the primary driver of recent global warming. The changes to an official agency webpage have raised concerns about scientific integrity and the role of government communications in conveying established science to the public.
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