The Global Climate 2011-2020

The global climate system is complex.

In order to unpack such complexity, the WMO State of the Global Climate uses seven Climate Indicators to describe the changing climate—providing a broad view of the climate at a global scale. They are used to monitor the domains most relevant to climate change, including the composition of the atmosphere, the energy changes that arise from the accumulation of greenhouse gases and other factors, as well as the responses of land, oceans and ice.

The decadal reports differ from annual reports by taking analyzing these indicators over longer periods of time. This allows trends, such as acceleration, to become more visible.

As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, so does global mean surface temperature (GMST). GMST is measured using a combination of air temperature over land, and sea surface temperature in ocean areas, typically expressed as a difference from a baseline period.

Compared to temperature, precipitation is characterized by higher spatial and temporal variability.

As greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere, temperatures warm on land and in the ocean.

Rising greenhouse gas concentrations impact the planet in other ways besides warming.

Changes in global temperature resulting from increasing greenhouse gases also impact bodies of ice, both at sea and on land.

What does mass loss look like? Swipe to see how glaciers are shrinking in Switzerland:

Rising global temperatures have contributed to more frequent and severe extreme weather events around the world, including cold and heat waves, floods, droughts, wildfires and storms. More details on specific events can be found in the report.

It is becoming increasingly clear that climate extremes are affecting our ability to develop sustainably.

 Climate action is the 21 ^st  century’s greatest opportunity to drive forward all the Sustainable Development Goals.