USGCRP Indicators Platform

The AGGI (shown on the right vertical axis) is an index of radiative forcing normalized to the year 1990 (represented by a red dot); it shows that the warming influence of long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increased by 49% between 1990 and 2021.

Annual Greenhouse Gas Index

The Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) is a measure of the capacity of Earth’s atmosphere to trap heat as a result of the presence of long-lived greenhouse gases. The AGGI provides standardized information about how human activity has affected the climate system through greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon Cycle Energy International Mitigation Physical Climate

This figure shows the cumulative change in mass balance of a set of eight routinely-measured glaciers in the Arctic located at a latitude of 66°N or higher.

Arctic Glacier Mass Balance

Eight routinely-measured glaciers located north of the Arctic Circle show the cumulative change in mass balance, or the net gain or loss of snow and ice (accumulation vs. melting and sublimation), since 1945.

Arctic Cryosphere Physical Climate

Arctic Sea Ice Extent

Sea ice extent is a measure of the surface area of the ocean covered by sea ice. Increases in air and ocean temperatures decrease sea ice extent; in turn, the resulting darker ocean surface absorbs more solar radiation and increases Arctic warming.

Adaptation Arctic Coasts International Oceans Physical Climate Cryosphere Ecosystems & Biodiversity

This graph shows the total number of tropical cyclone days (the number of active storms on any given day) per year for the North Atlantic region west of 60°W.

Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Days

This indicator shows changes in annual Atlantic tropical cyclone activity near land.

Coasts Extreme Events Oceans Societal Impacts Vulnerability

The sawtooth pattern demonstrates the fluctuation of atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide over seasonal cycles, driven largely by the terrestrial biosphere. There is an overall upward trend since data collection began.

Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

The global average concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere is tracked and updated monthly, capturing both seasonal and interannual trends. Data are drawn from paired, weekly samples collected at 40 sites in the remote marine boundary layer around the globe.

Carbon Cycle Energy International Mitigation Physical Climate

The bar graph shows the number of individual climate and weather events that caused more than one billion dollars of direct losses each year.

Billion Dollar Disasters

This indicator shows, by year, the number of weather and climate disasters causing more than one billion U.S. dollars in direct losses.

Societal Impacts Extreme Events Adaptation Vulnerability

The bars on the graph show the difference between the number of frost-free days in each year and the average number of frost-free days from 1979 to 2020.

Frost-Free Season

The number of frost-free days in a year reflects the overall warming trend in the climate system.

Adaptation Agriculture & Food Ecosystems & Biodiversity Physical Climate Seasonality

The bars on the graph show the number of degrees by which the average global temperature for each year differs from the average global temperature during the last century (1901-2000).

Global Surface Temperatures

This long-term record of global temperature is a key indicator of warming in the climate system.

International Physical Climate Mitigation

Heat Waves

This indicator describes trends in multi-day extreme heat events in cities across the United States.

Extreme Events Human Health Societal Impacts Cities & Infrastructure Vulnerability Physical Climate

These time series show the annual total number of cooling degree days (red) and heating degree days (blue) for the contiguous United States.

Heating and Cooling Degree Days

Degree days are defined as the number of degrees by which the average daily temperature is higher than 65°F (cooling degree days) or lower than 65°F (heating degree days). Degree days reflect changes in climate and are used as a proxy for the energy demand for heating or cooling buildings.

Adaptation Cities & Infrastructure Energy Human Health Mitigation Physical Climate