A new section of GlobalChange.gov features indicators of climate change.

Indicators are observations or calculations that can be used to track conditions and trends. For example, businesses might look at the unemployment index as one of a number of indicators representing the condition of the economy. 

Similarly, indicators of climate change can communicate how the environment is changing, identify risks, and inform decisions about policy, planning, and resource management.

The preliminary set of indicators now available on GlobalChange.gov unites efforts from across many of USGCRP’s participating agencies. It is a first step in developing a more comprehensive indicators system that can support future National Climate Assessment reports and the sustained assessment process.

The indicators visually communicate some of the key aspects of the changing climate, such as temperatures over land and at sea, greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, the extent of Arctic sea ice, and related effects in sectors like public health and agriculture. Some of the indicators show climate-related trends over time, whereas others show the status of resources that may be affected by climate change in the future. The source data for each indicator are documented and traceable via USGCRP’s Global Change Information System.

Website users are encouraged to provide feedback though the module at the bottom of each indicator’s page. Input received will be used to inform the expansion of the indicators system and to make the indicators more useful for assessment and decision support.

• Explore indicators of climate change