Main climate change Indicators
| Crt. no. | Indicator | Definition | Unit of measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenhouse (“CO2”) emissions | It represents the total mass of carbon dioxide, in thousands of tonnes, emitted from human activities within a specific timeframe, usually a year | (kt) |
| 2 | Extreme temperatures | Extreme temperatures refer to significant deviations from a region’s historical average temperatures. Both exceptionally high temperatures (heat waves) and exceptionally low temperatures (cold snaps) are considered temperature anomalies | (°C) |
| 3 | Sea level rise | Used to quantify the change in average global sea level over time | (mm) |
| 4 | Sea ice extent | Quantifies the total area of the ocean covered by sea ice at a given time | (km²) |
| 5 | Ocean heat (“OHC”) | Assesses the amount of heat absorbed and stored by the world’s oceans to understand the earth’s energy balance | (°C) |
| 6 | Precipitation patterns | Precipitation patterns refer to the recurring spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation (rain, snow, hail, etc.) across a specific region or the entire globe, which is influenced by various geographic and atmospheric factors | (mm) |
| 7 | Extreme weather events | Extreme weather events are relatively uncommon compared to a region’s typical weather patterns. Scientists often define them as events falling outside the uppermost or lowermost 5% or 10% of historical measurements | Counts/year |
| 8 | Climate projections | Climate projections are forecasts of the future state of earth’s climate system, typically for several decades or even centuries. They are not predictions but simulations based on a range of possible scenarios for future greenhouse gas emissions and other climate factors | (GMEs) or (ESMS) |
| Crt. no. | Indicator | Definition | Unit of measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenhouse (“CO2”) emissions | It represents the total mass of carbon dioxide, in thousands of tonnes, emitted from human activities within a specific timeframe, usually a year | (kt) |
| 2 | Extreme temperatures | Extreme temperatures refer to significant deviations from a region’s historical average temperatures. Both exceptionally high temperatures (heat waves) and exceptionally low temperatures (cold snaps) are considered temperature anomalies | (°C) |
| 3 | Sea level rise | Used to quantify the change in average global sea level over time | (mm) |
| 4 | Sea ice extent | Quantifies the total area of the ocean covered by sea ice at a given time | (km²) |
| 5 | Ocean heat (“OHC”) | Assesses the amount of heat absorbed and stored by the world’s oceans to understand the earth’s energy balance | (°C) |
| 6 | Precipitation patterns | Precipitation patterns refer to the recurring spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation (rain, snow, hail, etc.) across a specific region or the entire globe, which is influenced by various geographic and atmospheric factors | (mm) |
| 7 | Extreme weather events | Extreme weather events are relatively uncommon compared to a region’s typical weather patterns. Scientists often define them as events falling outside the uppermost or lowermost 5% or 10% of historical measurements | Counts/year |
| 8 | Climate projections | Climate projections are forecasts of the future state of earth’s climate system, typically for several decades or even centuries. They are not predictions but simulations based on a range of possible scenarios for future greenhouse gas emissions and other climate factors | (GMEs) |