Trump Is Freezing Climate Research in Greenland

Donald Trump’s continued push to “acquire” Greenland is not just bad diplomacy — it is already stopping critical climate research dead in its tracks. American and Greenlandic scientists have paused or halted joint research projects because the Administration’s repeated threats to seize or buy Greenland have chilled collaboration and made future scientific cooperation uncertain. 

Projects that monitor ice melt, sea level rise, and Arctic climate feedback loops — data that helps predict and prevent disaster for billions worldwide — are now in jeopardy because of the geopolitical instability that Donald Trump’s rhetoric has created.

Greenland has made it clear that it is not for sale. And the United States must stop treating one of the most climate-critical places on Earth like a prize to be claimed and jeopardizing international research in the process.

Greenland is on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Its ice sheet is melting faster each year, contributing approximately 20% to 25% of global sea-level rise. Scientists rely on Greenland as a living laboratory to understand what comes next for our planet — and how to prevent the worst.

This isn’t theoretical: researchers have already paused collaborations out of respect for Greenlandic partners and uncertainty about future relations, and long-term projects that could inform global climate models are being deferred.

Greenland’s people — Indigenous communities, local leaders, and scientists — bring irreplaceable knowledge and perspective to the world. Their sovereignty is not negotiable. Their land is not a bargaining chip. And their ability to work freely with the global scientific community must not be sacrificed for geopolitical ego.

The climate crisis is accelerating. Wildfires, floods, and deadly heat are already devastating lives. We cannot afford imperial fantasies that disrupt research, fracture alliances, and distract from real solutions.

We demand that the Trump Administration:

Stop all efforts to “acquire” Greenland

Respect Greenland’s sovereignty and self-determination

Repair international scientific cooperation immediately

Focus on climate leadership — not territorial threats

Greenland is not Donald Trump’s to take. Science needs collaboration. The planet needs peace.

Sign the petition: Stop this dangerous power grab and let climate research continue.

The petition to the Trump Administration reads: The reckless push to “acquire” Greenland is already halting critical climate research and threatening the international cooperation we need to confront the climate crisis. We demand that the Trump Administration immediately abandon this dangerous power grab, respect Greenland’s sovereignty, and stop undermining the science that protects our planet’s future.

Sources: 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-02-02/greenland-tensions-are-halting-key-climate-change-research

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2026/02/02/trumps-greenland-threats-put-crucial-climate-change-research-at-risk-00757267