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Here's what 2021 data shows about the progress of climate change around the world
Heather Waldman
Meteorologist/Climate Reporter
Here's what 2021 data shows about the progress of climate change around the world
WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THAT. THAT IS ALL THE INFORMATION WE KNOW ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. >> TO DATE THE AMERICAN METER ARTICLE PUBLISHED A DETAILED ANNUAL REPORT THAT LOOKS AT CLIMATE DATA FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD. HEATHER, WHAT DID THE REPORT SURE -- SHOW? >> THIS IS THE 32ND YEAR THAT THE AMS HAS PUBLISHED A STATE OF THE CLIMATE REPORT, THIS YEAR FOCUSING ON DATA FROM 2021. THE REPORT IS COMPILED FROM RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY MORE THAN 500 SCIENTISTS FROM 60 COUNTRIES. HERE ARE 5 OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS. FIRST, THE GLOBAL AVERAGE SEA LEVEL HIT A NEW RECORD HIGH IN 2021. THIS IS THE TENTH YEAR IN A ROW THAT OCEANS HAVE RISEN TO NEW HIGHS AND LAST YEAR THE AVERAGE WATER LEVEL WAS ABOUT 3.8 INCHES HIGHER THAN THE 1993 AVERAGE. NEXT, ON AVERAGE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN 2021 WERE ACTUALLY LOWER THAN WHAT THEY WERE IN 2019 AND 2020. A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THAT COOLING WAS THE LA NINA PATTERN, WHICH CAUSES CYCLICAL COOLING OF THE SURFACE WATER IN THE EAST PACIFIC OCEAN. BUT EVEN WITH LA NINA CONDITIONS, OCEAN TEMPERATURES IN 2021 WERE STILL ABOUT A HALF DEGREE HIGHER THAN THE 30 YEAR AVERAGE. IT鈥橲 IMPORTANT TO TRACK SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OCEANS ABSORB ABOUT 90% OF THE HEATING PRODUCED BY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. SPEAKING OF HEATING, THE 2021鈥橲 GLOBAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS ONE OF THE 6 HIGHEST ON RECORD. THAT INCLUDES BOTH LAND AND SEA TEMPERATURES. THE FIVE HOTTEST YEARS FOR THE PLANET HAVE ALL COME SINCE 2015. DATA GOES BACK TO THE MID 1800S. BUT ONE REGION IN PARTICULAR WAS NOTABLY COOLER THE ARCTIC. TEMPERATURES IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE IN 2021 WERE THE LOWEST THEY鈥橵E BEEN SINCE 2013. THERE WERE STILL SOME IMPRESSIVE HEAT RECORDS THOUGH, INCLUDING A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 103 DEGREES AT A SENSOR IN CANADA鈥橲 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. LONG TERM TRENDS SHOW THAT THE ARCTIC IS STILL WARMING 2 TO 4 TIMES FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE PLANET. AND FINALLY, 2021 SAW NEW RECORD HIGHS FOR THREE MAJOR GREENHOUSE GASES INCLUDING CARBON DIOXIDE, METHANE AND NITROUS OXIDE. GLOBAL AVERAGE CO2 LEVELS PEAKED AT OVER 414 PARTS PER MILLION LAST YEAR, AND THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO RISE. ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS AT MIT, CO2 LEVELS NEED TO BE BELOW 350 PARTS PER MILLION TO MAINTAIN CLIMATE STABILITY. I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH DR. SARAH KAPNICK, WHO WAS APPOINTED AS THE NEW CHIEF SCIENTIST FOR NOAA BACK IN JULY. KAPNICK SAYS THAT THESE GLOBAL CHANGES CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT IN THE UNITED STATES. CLIMATE RESEARCH FUNDING FROM THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT CAN HELP SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE FOR THOSE IMPACTS. >> THE ACT IS REALLY EXCITING IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING THAT WILL COME IN FOR US TO HANDLE DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. PARTICULARLY $2.6 BILLION FOR COASTAL RESILIENCE. AND FOR YOU IN CALIFORNIA, THERE鈥橲 ALSO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR MODELING ADVANCEMENTS, MODELING EFFORTS FOR FORECASTING AND PREDICTING AND PROJECTING CLIMATE. >> KAPNICK SAYS THAT BETTER DROUGHT AND ATMOSPHERIC RIVER FORECASTING ARE TWO MAJOR GOAL
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Here's what 2021 data shows about the progress of climate change around the world
Heather Waldman
Meteorologist/Climate Reporter
More than 500 scientists from 60 different countries provided insight for the latest State of the Climate report published on Wednesday by the American Meteorological Society. Researchers from NOAA led the report, which aims to analyze annual climate data from every corner of the world. Here are five major takeaways from the 2021 data:1) Global average sea level reached a new highSatellite data shows that the global average sea level is now 3.8" higher than the 1993 average. This is the tenth year in a row that ocean levels have increased. Sea level rises along the North American Pacific Coast were relatively small compared to rises measured in the west and south Pacific.2) Global average sea surface temperatures were slightly lowerData from 2021 shows that the average sea surface temperature for the globe was slightly lower than in 2019 and 2020. A major factor in last year's cooling was a La Nina pattern. La Nina is a cyclical phenomenon that leads to cooler than average ocean temperatures in the equatorial East Pacific.Even with a La Nina, global sea surface temperatures were still about a half degree higher than the 30-year average.According to NOAA, La Nina conditions are still present in the Pacific, but the La Nina will become weaker heading into winter, suggesting a return to warmer water temperatures.3) Earth's global average temperature was one of the 6 highest on recordGlobal average temperature accounts for land and sea temperatures around the globe. In 2021, the average temperature of the planet was one of the 6 highest in recorded history. Current climate records go back to the mid-1800s.The 5 hottest years on record have all come since 2015.Over the last decade, the most significant warming has occurred in central Europe, eastern North America and southern Asia.4) The Arctic was one region that was slightly coolerAt least compared to recent years.Temperatures in 2021 were, on average, lower than they have been since 2013 in the Arctic region. Summer still brought some impressive heat to the area, including a high temperature of 103 degrees at a sensor in Canada's Northwest Territories.Long-term trends show that the Arctic is warming about 2 to 4 times faster than the rest of the planet.5) Greenhouse gas concentrations continue to climbAtmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached a new record high in 2021, and they continue t climb in 2022. Data analyzed from last year show that CO2 concentrations reached over 414 parts per million. That's an increase of more than 2 parts per million from 2020. According to scientists at MIT, carbon dioxide levels need to be at or below 350 parts per million to preserve climate stability. The latest CO2 readings taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii show a concentration of nearly 419 parts per million.Methane and nitrous oxide gases also reached new record highs in 2021. There's evidence to show that annual increases in methane have been accelerating since 2014.You can view the entire State of the Climate report on the AMS website.

More than 500 scientists from 60 different countries provided insight for the latest State of the Climate report published on Wednesday by the American Meteorological Society.

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Researchers from NOAA led the report, which aims to analyze annual climate data from every corner of the world.

Here are five major takeaways from the 2021 data:

1) Global average sea level reached a new high

global average sea level
Hearst OwnedNOAA
Data from NOAA shows that the global average sea level reached a new high in 2021.

Satellite data shows that the global average sea level is now 3.8" higher than the 1993 average.

This is the tenth year in a row that ocean levels have increased.

Sea level rises along the North American Pacific Coast were relatively small compared to rises measured in the west and south Pacific.

2) Global average sea surface temperatures were slightly lower

Data from 2021 shows that the average sea surface temperature for the globe was slightly lower than in 2019 and 2020.

A major factor in last year's cooling was a La Nina pattern. La Nina is a cyclical phenomenon that leads to cooler than average ocean temperatures in the equatorial East Pacific.

Even with a La Nina, global sea surface temperatures were still about a half degree higher than the 30-year average.

According to NOAA, La Nina conditions are still present in the Pacific, but the La Nina will become weaker heading into winter, suggesting a return to warmer water temperatures.

3) Earth's global average temperature was one of the 6 highest on record

global temperature rises
Hearst OwnedNOAA
This map shows where temperatures have been warming or cooling the fastest over the past decade. Areas in deep red have warmed more than half of a degree Celsius since 1992.

Global average temperature accounts for land and sea temperatures around the globe. In 2021, the average temperature of the planet was one of the 6 highest in recorded history. Current climate records go back to the mid-1800s.

The 5 hottest years on record have all come since 2015.

Over the last decade, the most significant warming has occurred in central Europe, eastern North America and southern Asia.

4) The Arctic was one region that was slightly cooler

At least compared to recent years.

Temperatures in 2021 were, on average, lower than they have been since 2013 in the Arctic region.

Summer still brought some impressive heat to the area, including a high temperature of 103 degrees at a sensor in Canada's Northwest Territories.

Long-term trends show that the Arctic is warming about 2 to 4 times faster than the rest of the planet.

5) Greenhouse gas concentrations continue to climb

co2 concentrations
Hearst OwnedNOAA
The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii takes regular measurments of atmopsheric CO2 concentrations. Last year, CO2 reached more than 414 parts per million, a new record high at the time.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached a new record high in 2021, and they continue t climb in 2022.

Data analyzed from last year show that CO2 concentrations reached over 414 parts per million. That's an increase of more than 2 parts per million from 2020.

According to scientists at MIT, carbon dioxide levels need to be at or below 350 parts per million to preserve climate stability.

The latest CO2 readings taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii show a concentration of nearly 419 parts per million.

Methane and nitrous oxide gases also reached new record highs in 2021. There's evidence to show that annual increases in methane have been accelerating since 2014.

You can view the entire .