Climate Change Tracker #WarmingStripes?

What are the #WarmingStripes?

This up-to-date chart shows the Yearly Average Observed Temperature Anomaly using the #WarmingStripes color pallete on a 1850-1900 baseline.

Yearly Average Temperature

What is the Yearly Average Temperature?

This is the average surface temperature of the whole Earth over a full year. It is based on measurements taken by thousands of weather stations on land and sea. The Yearly Average Temperature is a crucial metric because the change in the Earth’s average temperature causes major transformations to our planet. It puts the existence of many species – including humans – at risk.

Monthly greenhouse gases

What is the Monthly Greenhouse Gases’ Impact on the Energy Balance?

The previous chart shows the big picture of the Earth's energy imbalance. This chart focuses on the impact of the crucial greenhouse gases on the big picture. It shows the impact estimates of the monthly change in the energy balance caused by the three main greenhouse gases, CO2 (carbon dioxide), CH4 (methane) and N2O (nitrous oxide). The impact comes from the increase in the greenhouse gas concentrations from the pre-industrial levels. Greenhouse gases absorb the energy that the Earth should be radiating back into space, like a blanket that warms the Earth. You can see this in the reduction of the blue area in the Earth's Energy Imbalance chart. The rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases since the pre-industrial levels has reduced the rate of radiated energy by about 3W/m2. There are many other factors that impact the Earth's energy balance, such as changes in the sun's intensity, the Earth's albedo, halogenated gases, water vapor, ozone and aerosols like sulfur dioxide. We are looking for the data and calculations to show you about those impacts too.