Our Reddening Globe
Visualize climate change data with a 3D globe
Shri Khalpada
This tool visualizes global, regional, and coordinate temperature anomalies from 1880 to 2023. A temperature anomaly is the difference between the observed temperature and the average temperature over a baseline period of time for a location.
The globe shows coordinate data for over 1,000 relatively evenly distributed points on Earth's landmasses over time. The graphs on the right give a global and regional view of the same timeframe.
All data on this page comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For each year, this visualization uses anomaly data from June of that year.
Regarding the baseline time periods, per NOAA: "Please note, global and hemispheric anomalies are with respect to the 1901-2000 average. Coordinate anomalies are with respect to the 1991-2020 average. All other regional anomalies are with respect to the 1910-2000 average."
What's the difference between a global anomaly of 1.5°C and 2.0°C?
- • Reduce the number of people frequently exposed to extreme heatwaves by approximately 420 million.
- • Reduce the number of people in Earth's urban areas exposed to severe droughts by approximately 61 million.
- • Reduce the number of people projected to experience water scarcity by approximately 184 million to 270 million.
- • Reduce the rise of sea levels by 0.1 meters (0.33 feet), resulting in decreased coastal flooding, beach erosion, salinization of water supplies, and more for 70% of Earth’s coastlines.
- • Reduce the impact on terrestrial productivity, including human agriculture, by lowering the number of organisms whose climatically determined range is cut by half:
- ◦ for 6% of insects instead of 18%.
- ◦ for 8% of plants instead of 16%.
- ◦ for 4% of vertebrates instead of 8%.
The scientific consensus is clear: the climate crisis is real and anthropogenic. The effects of climate change are being felt around the world.
We can make a difference in protecting the environment by taking action in our daily lives and supporting reputable environmental charities. Reduce, reuse, and recycle to minimize waste, conserve energy and water, and make sustainable choices whenever possible. Every small step contributes to a healthier planet. And if you're able to, donating to environmental charities is a great way to support the cause.
Acknowledgements
I found a lot of inspiration in the visualizations and articles on the subject from NOAA and NASA. The inspiration for the globe visualization came from the work of Ksenia Kondrashova.
We're just getting started.
Subscribe for more thoughtful, data-driven explorations.
