The Nature Conservancy, a prominent environmental nonprofit, recently changed the name of its conservation program in the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America.” This decision was reportedly made after the organization was instructed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to adopt the new name or risk losing federal funding. According to a leaked internal memo, the Nature Conservancy received specific directions from NOAA to change all references to the new nomenclature in association with their NOAA-funded work in the Gulf. The memo highlighted the significant financial implications, citing $156 million in active federal grants in the region, including $45 million from NOAA.
Jennifer Morris, CEO of the Nature Conservancy, addressed the change in an email to the organization’s staff. She wrote, “Please know that we did not make this decision lightly.”
The renaming follows an executive order by President Donald Trump, making “Gulf of America” the official U.S. designation for the body of water.
Renaming amid political pressures
This decision has been criticized by figures in the climate and environmentalist community who see it as a capitulation to political pressure. NOAA has traditionally been more insulated from such political pressures, maintaining a global reputation as a highly credible scientific body. However, this incident resembles a previous controversy known as “Sharpiegate,” where Trump altered a map with a Sharpie to incorrectly show Hurricane Dorian’s path affecting Alabama, later pressuring NOAA to endorse his claims.
When asked for comments, a NOAA spokesman said, “We can find no evidence of that, so far.” The Nature Conservancy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In related geopolitical news, President Donald Trump is expected to discuss Ukraine’s mineral wealth with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in Washington, D.C. There has been growing interest in developing Ukraine’s mineral resources as part of broader strategic and economic objectives, especially in light of recent geopolitical developments. As the Trump administration focuses on reducing dependence on Chinese minerals, the potential extraction and use of Ukraine’s critical minerals and rare earths are being closely examined, albeit with contentious debate on their economic viability.
Image Credits: Photo by Hendrik Cornelissen on Unsplash
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