The Trump administration plans to eliminate the research arm of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, close all weather and climate labs and eviscerate its budget along with several other NOAA offices, according to internal documents obtained by CNN.
The move would devastate weather and climate research even as weather is becoming more erratic and extreme. It could cripple the US industries — including agriculture — that depend on free, accurate weather and climate data and expert analysis. It would also halt research on deadly weather, including severe storms and tornadoes.
A source familiar with the plan told CNN that while the draft budget for fiscal year 2026 will have to be approved by Congress, it is also being distributed to the agency now as guidance on how to slash its current operating budget for the agency, which means the cuts could be implemented this year.
Tap the link in @cnn's bio to read more.
📸 CIRA/RAMMB/NOAA
Global negotiations at COP30 in Belém have accelerated momentum toward decarbonising the built environment through definitive timelines for ending fossil fuel use. The shift transforms sustainable construction from voluntary ambition into a structural requirement for net zero carbon and net zero whole life carbon outcomes. Policymakers are converging around frameworks that demand whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment to account for embodied carbon across sustainable building design, low carbon construction materials and circular economy in construction principles.
Funding imbalances remain acute. Only a fraction of climate finance supports environmental sustainability in construction and resilient infrastructure, leaving gaps in life cycle cost modelling and resource efficiency in construction. Addressing this shortfall is critical to accelerating carbon footprint reduction and life cycle thinking in construction that ensures buildings can adapt to climatic extremes while achieving carbon neutral construction.
Government proposals linking climate, biodiversity and land use through unified policy instruments indicate an evolution toward circular construction strategies and eco-design for buildings that integrate sustainable material specification and environmental product declarations (EPDs). These measures align with BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM v7 standards, reinforcing quantitative accountability in green construction and sustainable building practices.
In the United Kingdom, scrutiny from Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee challenges the misconception that regulation limits housing delivery. Its evidence underscores that low carbon design and green infrastructure are enablers of innovation, not barriers. It signals a policy turning point toward sustainable urban development and eco-friendly construction anchored in end-of-life reuse in construction and building lifecycle performance metrics.
The trajectory is apparent: whole life carbon accounting, embodied carbon in materials tracking and circular economy integration are reshaping global market expectations. Sustainable design decisions are becoming quantifiable obligations, ensuring every low carbon building advances environmental sustainability in construction and measurable carbon footprint of construction reductions consistent with decarbonising the built environment.
Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do
get in touch.
