In "State of the Climate" Report, Scientists from All Continents Confirm that Climate Change is Underway

With contributions from more than 300 scientists in 48 countries, the State of the Climate in 2009 report released today (28 July 2010) adds to the growing mountain of evidence that climate change is underway.  "When we follow decade-to-decade trends using multiple data sets and independent analyses from around the world, we see clear and unmistakable signs of a warming world,” says report contributor Dr Peter Stott, Head of Climate Monitoring and Attribution at the UK Met Office. The report is a Special Supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (Vol. 91, No. 6, June 2010), and was released today by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

According to a press release (NOAA: Past Decade Warmest on Record According to Scientists in 48 Countries ) issued today by NOAA:

"Based on comprehensive data from multiple sources, the report defines 10 measurable planet-wide features used to gauge global temperature changes. The relative movement of each of these indicators proves consistent with a warming world. Seven indicators are rising: air temperature over land, sea-surface temperature, air temperature over oceans, sea level, ocean heat, humidity and tropospheric temperature in the “active-weather” layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth’s surface. Three indicators are declining: Arctic sea ice, glaciers and spring snow cover in the Northern hemisphere."  [emphasis added]

Above: Increasing indicators of climate change. Click to enlarge. 
Source: UK Met Office.

Above: Declining indicators of climate change. Click to enlarge. 
Source: UK Met Office.

 “The records come from many institutions worldwide," says Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.  "They use data collected from diverse sources, including satellites, weather balloons, weather stations, ships, buoys and field surveys. These independently produced lines of evidence all point to the same conclusion: our planet is warming,”

Above: Significant Climate Anomalies and Events in 2009.  Source: NOAA.

The report comes just a few months after the Environmental Protection Agency issued  Climate Change Indicators in the U.S., a set of climate change indicators that provide "compelling evidence that the composition of the atmosphere and many fundamental measures of climate in the United States are changing."  EPA also presented other indicators showing that "these climate changes are affecting the environment in ways that are important for society and ecosystems." The EPA noted that its indicators "represent just a small sample of the growing portfolio of potential indicators." (see U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Issues Compendium of "Climate Change Indicators" for the U.S. , 27 April 2010).

It also comes on the heels of a series of reports from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences confirming that climate change is underway, will have long term consequences, and requires urgent efforts to reduce emissions and prepare for the impacts .  See Study Warns that Decisions Made Today About Carbon Emissions Will Have Consequences "In the Coming Centuries and Millennia" (16 July 2010); and National Research Council Reaffirms Climate Change Science; Cites Urgent Need to Reduce Emissions and Prepare for Impacts (19 May 2010).

Online Resources:

Arndt, D. S., M. O. Baringer, and M. R. Johnson, Eds., State of the Climate in 2009 , Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc, 91 (6), S1–S224 (June 2010).   A 10-page highlights brochure also is available: High Resolution (10.5 MB) | Low Resolution (2.4 MB) .

NOAA: Past Decade Warmest on Record According to Scientists in 48 Countries.  Press release (28 July 2010) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Scientific evidence that our world is warming is unmistakable has been released today in the ‘2009 State of the Climate’ report, issued by US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  Press release (28 July 2010) from the UK Met Office.