Climate indicators show trends over time in key aspects of our environment, such as greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, temperatures across land and sea, and the extent of Arctic sea ice, as well as metrics of social or economic exposure to the impacts of climate variability and change. Indicators are based on long-term, consistently collected data and can be used to assess risks and vulnerabilities from a changing climate and to inform response actions. USGCRP’s Indicators Interagency Working Group (IndIWG) leverages existing agency research, data, and indicators in support of sustained assessment activities, including the National Climate Assessment.

IndIWG launched an interagency web platform for USGCRP to highlight federally supported climate-relevant indicators (see figure for example) and programs and integrate information from the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), including a figure depicting climate-relevant trends across the United States that was developed for the NCA4 Volume II Overview chapter. The platform provides readily accessible, well-documented climate information and is well positioned to support sustained assessment activities, including the addition of new indicators, routine data updates, and a range of communication activities.

The IndIWG and the indicators web platform represent an interagency collaboration with participation and input from many USGCRP member agencies, including the DOI, EPA, HHS, NASA, NOAA, NSF, and USDA, as well as USGCRP interagency working groups.