Arctic Sea Ice Extent

Current CO2 Levels (Mauna Loa)

Ten Indicators of a Warming Planet

Temperature Anomaly Last Ten Thousand Years

The Global Surface Temperature is Rising

Global Upper Ocean Heat Content is Rising

Total Heat Content (Oceans, Atmosphere, and Land) - 1960-2008

Sea Level is Rising

Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover is Retreating

Glacier Volume is Shrinking

Arctic Ice Volume in September - 1979-2013

Sea Surface Temperature - 1880-2012

Global CO2 Emissions - Projected vs Actual (through 2014)

Energy absorbed by the Earth 1970-2010 - Most of the heat is going into the oceans

Where is global warming going

El Niño/La Niña Global Surface Temperature Influence - 1967-2012

Projected Arctic Sea Ice Decline

Equilibrium sea level change relative to temperature change

RCP 8.5 Sea Level rise expected by experts

Local Sea Level Rise and Tidal Flooding, 1970–2012 (Boston, MA; Atlantic City, NJ; Norfolk, VA; Charleston, SC)

Ocean pH vs Atmospheric ppm 1958 to 2012

Carbon from permafrost soils could add as much as 0.4ºF to 0.6ºF of warming by 2100

CO2 Concentrations Last 800,000 Years

Energy absorbed by the Earth 1970-2010 - Most of the heat is going into the oceans

Where is global warming going

El Niño/La Niña Global Surface Temperature Influence - 1967-2012

Increase in Extreme Precipitation Events 1958-2012

US Wildfires 1987-2012

Ocean pH vs Atmospheric ppm 1958 to 2012

Arctic Ice Volume in September - 1979-2013

Estimated potential maximum sea-level rise from the total melting of present-day glaciers

Antarctic ice melt is twice as fast as ten years ago

Greenland Ice Sheet Mass 1992 - 2012

Global Warming Facts

Paleoclimate Observations

Observations since 1870

Recent Observations

Modeling

Fast Feedbacks

Slow Feedbacks

Metrics

Conclusions

References

Is the climate warming?

How do scientists know that recent climate change is largely caused by human activities?

CO2 is already in the atmosphere naturally, so why are emissions from human activity significant?

What role has the Sun played in climate change in recent decades?

What do changes in the vertical structure of atmospheric temperature—from the surface up to the stratosphere—tell us about the causes of recent climate change?

Climate is always changing. Why is climate change of concern now?

Is the current level of atmospheric CO2 concentration unprecedented in Earth’s history?

Is there a point at which adding more CO2 will not cause further warming?

Does the rate of warming vary from one decade to another?

Does the recent slowdown of warming mean that climate change is no longer happening?

If the world is warming, why are some winters and summers still very cold?

Why is Arctic sea ice decreasing while Antarctic sea ice is not?

How does climate change affect the strength and frequency of floods, hurricanes and tornadoes?

How fast is sea level rising?

What is ocean acidification and why does it matter?

How confident are scientists that Earth will warm further over the coming century?

Are climate changes of a few degrees a cause for concern?

What are scientists doing to address key uncertainties in our understanding of the climate system?

Are disaster scenarios about tipping points like ‘turning off the Gulf Stream’ and release of methane from the Arctic a cause for concern?

If emissions of greenhouse gases were stopped, would the climate return to the conditions of 200 years ago?

Global Warming/Climate Change - Facts and Images

The following Fact Pages display various images related to global warming and climate change
(Hover your mouse over the text below to "popup" a window with a related image or text.
Click on text to open a new window with a detailed description.)

Climate Change Daily Trends

Indications That The Earth Is Warming

Primary reasons for concern about the Earth's future climate, sea level, and ocean acidification

Where We Are Now

Global Warming – Basic Facts, Observations, and Expectations

NAS - Climate Change: Evidence and Choices