While the US decision to cut manpower in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may not affect global weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities, but lowering the funding for the agency may have an adverse impact in many countries including India as half of the globe is monitored by the Americans while remaining half is contributed by all other countries.

NOAA is the US government agency that monitors and predicts changes in climate, weather, oceans and coasts and shares the data with several countries, including India, helping them improve their forecast accuracy. Similarly, other countries too share their data with NOAA.

Responding to a query during the monsoon forecast briefing, M Ravichandran, secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, on April 15 said that India’s forecasting ability would remain unaffected at least for 4-5 years if there is cut in funds for NOAA, but there may be consequences later.

“If there is a cut in manpower, we do not have any problem. Even if the model is not there, no problem. But the only thing is, they are significantly contributing to the observing system, mainly in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. If that is reduced, our forecasting skill will reduce. As of now, this year, there is no problem because it is not that immediate. He explained that when an instrument is deployed, it works for 4-5 years.

Ravichandran said: “But, in the long run, if they reduce the NOAA funding and they reduce the observing system in the ocean, definitely our forecast will be adversely impacted.”

The earth science secretary also explained that the global system is an open network. So, if one agency doesn’t have a proper ocean observation, definitely it will not be able to work. However, he exuded confidence that India have to see some other mechanism in case the US cuts funding to NOAA, impacting data gathering from the ocean.

According to media reports, the Trump administration plans to cut NOAA’s funding by 27 per cent or around $1.67 billion. After assuming the office of US President, Donald Trump has already pulled the country out of the Paris Agreement, scrapped multilateral efforts to help coal-dependent developing countries shift to clean energy, and has also withdrawn support from a global fund meant to help vulnerable nations to deal with climate-related losses and damages.

Published on April 16, 2025