About

Data Dashboard: Climate (archive)

Carbon Brief has compiled key indicators on our climate, atmosphere and Earth system. Use the links below to navigate our series of charts. We have a separate energy dashboard.





Global average monthly concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (parts per million), from January 1980 to present. Source: NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Global annual average surface temperature (degrees Celsius), from 1850 to present, against a baseline of 1961-90. Sources: Met Office/CRU, NASA and NOAA. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Ocean heat content of the upper 700m of the global ocean (1022 joules), from 1955 to present, against a baseline of 1955-2006. Shows annual average and 5-year average. Source: NOAA. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Arctic and Antarctic annual average sea ice extent (million square kilometres), from 1979 to present, against a baseline of 1981-2010. Source: Monthly data available from NOAA, via the NSIDC for the Arctic (baseline) and Antarctic (baseline). Last updated: 12/10/2015

Daily Arctic sea ice extent (million square kilometres) as absolute values, January – December, for 2012 to present. Also shows 1981-2010 average, and two standard deviations either side (dotted black lines). Source: NOAA, via the NSIDC. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Daily Antarctic sea ice extent (million square kilometres) as absolute values, January – December, for 2012 to present. Also shows 1981-2010 average, and two standard deviations either side (dotted black lines). Source: NOAA, via the NSIDC. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Global average sea level change (millimetres), from 1993 to present, against a baseline of 1993-99. Data from satellite measurements. Values are 60-day averages with seasonal fluctuations removed. Source: NASA. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Global annual average sea level change (millimetres), from 1880 to 2009, against a baseline of 1990. Data from coastal tide gauge records. Source: CSIRO. Last updated: 12/10/2015

Please send any comments or suggestions to [email protected].