In this section, we look at the following avenues of scientific evidence that clearly show that the climate is changing:
Click a topic to jump to a page with details.
Scientists are able to identify and measure many effects on the natural world as indicators of climate change (we’ve just covered a few):
- ocean air temperature
- decrease in sea ice extent
- Northern hemisphere snow cover
- ocean heat content
- inland lake temperature
- rising sea levels
- glacier retreat
- temperatures in the troposphere
- specific humidity
- temperature over land
- temperatures in the stratosphere
- sea surface temperature
These profound changes are affecting people, animals, insects and plants. The entire living world is feeling the effect of a changing climate.
This 4-minute video from the US National Research Council explains how scientists have arrived at the current state of understanding about recent climate change and its causes.
