Trump Administration Aid Cuts Threaten EM-DAT Disaster Database

Threat to Global Disaster Records

The EM-DAT database, described as the world’s most comprehensive disaster database, could face closure due to aid cuts implemented by the Trump administration. The database serves as a critical resource for thousands of climate scientists and researchers who rely on its data to track and analyze global disaster patterns.

Observers have characterized the database as the "world’s memory of disasters," noting that its potential loss would remove a primary source of historical data used to understand the frequency and impact of extreme events.

Context of Federal Funding Cuts

The threat to EM-DAT coincides with a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy. The Trump administration has pushed for global aid cuts as part of an "America First" agenda. This policy seeks to encourage other nations to reduce their humanitarian aid spending and instead promote investment in U.S. companies.

These funding shifts are part of a wider trend in global emergency aid policy. Reports indicate that as of early 2026, the global emergency aid system has been operating under a "crisis of trust and legitimacy," tasked with managing more crises with significantly fewer resources.

Impact on Climate Tracking

The potential loss of EM-DAT follows other reductions in climate-related data tracking. The Trump administration has already ended a NOAA extreme weather database that tracked the financial costs of natural disasters. While that specific database will be archived, it will no longer be updated beyond 2024, limiting the ability of taxpayers, media, and researchers to track the ongoing costs of extreme events.