The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has initiated the removal of terms related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and climate change from its official documents, aligning with recent executive orders under President Donald Trump.
A memo titled “Recovery Guidance for Terminology Changes,” issued on February 19, instructs FEMA staff to eliminate specific terminology from agency materials. “To comply with Executive Actions and DHS memos to remove language from policy and doctrine concerning gender, DEI, immigration and climate change, please replace and/or remove the terminology listed below,” the memo stated.
The directive encompasses 34 words and phrases, including “social justice,” “global warming,” “climate resilience,” and “whole community.” Additionally, it advises replacing “noncitizen” with “alien” in official documents.
This action follows a broader mandate from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who ordered the elimination of all climate change activities and terminology within DHS policies and programs. The directive aims to align agency language and initiatives with the current administration’s policies.
In line with these changes, FEMA has rebranded its “Climate Resilience” webpage to “Future Conditions,” removing much of the climate-specific language. The introductory sentence was altered from “Climate change is the defining crisis of our time” to “Disaster incidents are rising due to increased human vulnerability, exposure, and a changing climate.”
These developments reflect the administration’s efforts to reshape federal agencies’ focus and language concerning DEI and climate change initiatives. The removal of such terminology from official documents signifies a shift in policy direction, emphasizing a departure from previous approaches to diversity and environmental issues.
