Global sea levels have been steadily rising over the past three decades, with an average increase of 3.1 millimeters per year. In January 2024, the mean sea level was 103 millimeters higher compared to the same month in 1993. Contributing factors to sea level rise The upward trend of the global sea level is primarily attributed to the effects of climate change, particularly the rise in global ocean temperatures and the subsequent expansion of water, as well as the increased volume resulting from the melting of ice caps and glaciers. Sea ice extent across the globe has been consistently reporting historic lows, with 2023 being the worst year since records started. The rise will continue, despite the scenario Regardless of the greenhouse gas emissions scenario chosen, the global sea level is projected to continue increasing at least through the end of the century. Even under a very low emissions scenario, it is estimated that the overall rise in sea level worldwide will be approximately 82 millimeters between 2040 and 2060, or 4.1 millimeters per year. For a high emissions scenario, the rise could be as high as 6.4 millimeters per year, twice the rate of the past three decades.

In 2015, the average annual sea level anomaly in coastal Indonesia was 20.32 millimeters. Since 1880, the global mean sea level has risen from approximately 210 to 240 millimeters, with about a third of it occurring in the previous two and a half decades. The annual global sea level rise is currently around three millimeters each year.

This feature layer shows the local relative sea level trend at more than 100 of NOAA’s tide-monitoring stations in the United States and Pacific Islands over their period of operation, which varies from station to station. Colored arrows indicate the direction of any trend: blue, upward arrows indicate rising sea level and brown, downward arrows indicate falling sea level. Local, or relative, sea level change may be more or less than the global average sea level trend due to ocean currents, natural climate variability, or changes occurring on land, such as sediment compaction. The map includes a pop-up window for each station that shows the station name, its period of operation, its highest and lowest monthly sea level, and an animated gif of line graphs of monthly sea level for the station’s period of operation. Darker lines indicate older years, and lighter lines indicate more recent years. If the lines start high on the graph and move down, local sea level at that location is falling. If the lines start lower on the graph and move up, local sea level is rising.The layer's source data can be found at https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/.

In 2024, the global ocean surface temperature was 0.97 degrees Celsius warmer than the 20th-century average. Oceans are responsible for absorbing over 90 percent of the Earth's excess heat from global warming. Departures from average conditions are called anomalies, and temperature anomalies result from recurring weather patterns or longer-term climate change. While the extent of these temperature anomalies fluctuates annually, an upward trend has been observed over the past several decades. Effects of climate change Since the 1980s, every region of the world has consistently recorded increases in average temperatures. These trends coincide with significant growth in the global carbon dioxide emissions, greenhouse gas, and a driver of climate change. As temperatures rise, notable decreases in the extent of arctic sea ice have been recorded. Outlook An increase in emissions from the use of fossil fuels is projected for the coming decades. Nevertheless, global investments in clean energy have increased dramatically since the early 2000s.

The surface temperature of the world's oceans reached new record levels in the first months of 2024, continuing the trend started in April 2023. As of August 6, 2024, the global sea surface temperature reached 20.98 degrees Celsius, an increase of 0.76 degrees compared to the 1982-2010 average. Overall, 2024 was a year of record temperatures on land and in the sea, with a temperature anomaly of 1.29 degrees with respect to the 20th century average. As of May 2025, temperatures this year remain lower than 2024 temperatures.

The world's oceans are becoming increasingly acidic, with the average ocean pH falling from 8.11 in 1985 to 8.05 in 2022. This seemingly small change represents a significant increase in acidity, damaging the fine chemical balance of the oceans and posing a risk to marine ecosystems. The more emissions, the more acidic As global CO2 emissions continue to rise, the oceans absorb more CO2 per year, playing a crucial role in regulating atmospheric CO2 levels. The increased dissolution of CO2 in seawater causes the oceans’ pH to decrease. The acidification of the oceans creates conditions that dissolve minerals such as carbonates, which are the backbone of reefs and marine life’s shells and skeletons. In addition, certain species of harmful algae proliferate in acidified waters, putting fish, marine mammals, and the full food chain in danger. Warmer oceans on top of acidification Acidification is not the only climate change-related issue the oceans must adapt to. In 2023, the average ocean surface temperature worldwide was almost one degree Celsius higher than the 20th century average. Such departures from average conditions are called anomalies, and although they fluctuate, the global ocean surface temperature anomaly has shown a marked upward trend over the past decades. A warming ocean brings a series of cascading effects, including the melting of sea ice, sea level rise, and marine heatwaves. On top of that, less carbon sinks to the deep ocean in warmer waters, making them a less efficient carbon pool and therefore aggravating climate change.

The R code that was used to graph the acid dissociation data for H3As(V)O4 in S4 File.

Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) Surface Temperature Analysis version 4 (GISTEMP v4) is an estimate of global surface temperature change. Graphs and tables are updated around the middle of every month using current data files from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) v4 (meteorological stations) and Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature (ERSST) v5 (ocean areas), combined as described in our publications Hansen et al. (2010) and Lenssen et al. (2019). These updated files incorporate reports for the previous month and also late reports and corrections for earlier months.

In 2023, there was a total of 398 natural disasters events recorded worldwide, down from 398 recorded a year earlier. The Europe, Middle East and Africa region experienced the highest number of natural disasters that year. Deaths and costs of natural disasters Natural disasters affect almost every part of the world. In February 2023, Turkey and Syria were hit by earthquakes that resulted in the highest number of deaths due to natural disaster events that year. In terms of economic damage, Hurricane Katrina remains one of the most expensive natural disasters in the world, topped only by the earthquake/tsunami which hit Japan in 2011. Climate change and natural disasters Climate change has influenced the prevalence of natural disasters. Global warming can increase the risk of extreme weather, resulting in higher risk of droughts and stronger storms, such as tropical cyclones. For instance, higher levels of water vapor in the atmosphere give storms the power to emerge. Furthermore, the heat in the atmosphere and high ocean surface temperatures lead to increased wind speeds, which characterize tropical storms. Areas that are usually unaffected by the sea are becoming more vulnerable due to rising sea levels as waves and currents become stronger.

In 2024, the average air temperature in Japan's capital reached around 17.6 degrees Celsius. Tokyo's annual mean air temperature increased by four degrees Celsius since 1900, showing the progress of global warming. Weather in Tokyo Tokyo lies in the humid subtropical climate zone. It is affected by the monsoon circulation and has mild, sunny winters and hot, humid, and rainy summers. In most of Japan, the rainy season lasts from early June to mid-July. Furthermore, heavy rainfall is often caused by typhoons, which develop over the Pacific Ocean and regularly approach the archipelago between July and October. In recent years, the Kanto region, including Tokyo Prefecture, was approached by at least two typhoons each year. Since the winters are rather mild in Tokyo, the capital city does not often see snowfall and the snow rarely remains on the ground for more than a few days. Effects of global warming in Japan The increasing air temperature is one of the main consequences of global warming. Other effects are increased flooding frequency and a rise in sea levels due to melting ice caps. Global warming has already influenced Japan's climate in recent years, resulting in more frequent heat waves as well as increased annual rainfall. These weather changes can intensify natural disasters such as typhoons and inhibit the growth of crops. To counter global warming, Japan aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by increasing its renewable and nuclear energy share.

Average annual atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) reached a record high of 424.61 parts per million (ppm) in 2024. Monthly atmospheric CO₂ concentrations peaked that year in June, at 426.91 ppm. Human activities have caused CO₂ concentrations to soar Annual CO₂ concentrations consistently averaged around 280 ppm before the industrial revolution began, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, the mass burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation over the past two centuries has released trillions of tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. This has caused atmospheric CO₂ levels to climb more than 50 percent above pre-industrial levels. Impacts of high atmospheric greenhouse gas levels The rapidly rising concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are worrying news for the planet, as they contribute to the climate crisis. GHGs like CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide trap heat radiating from the planet’s surface, preventing it from escaping into space. This causes Earth’s atmosphere to heat and increases land and sea surface temperatures. Higher surface temperatures can unleash severe weather conditions such as extreme heat, droughts, and a higher frequency of high-intensity tropical storms.

The average temperature in December 2024 was 38.25 degrees Fahrenheit in the United States, the fourth-largest country in the world. The country has extremely diverse climates across its expansive landmass. Temperatures in the United States On the continental U.S., the southern regions face warm to extremely hot temperatures all year round, the Pacific Northwest tends to deal with rainy weather, the Mid-Atlantic sees all four seasons, and New England experiences the coldest winters in the country. The North American country has experienced an increase in the daily minimum temperatures since 1970. Consequently, the average annual temperature in the United States has seen a spike in recent years. Climate Change The entire world has seen changes in its average temperature as a result of climate change. Climate change occurs due to increased levels of greenhouse gases which act to trap heat in the atmosphere, preventing it from leaving the Earth. Greenhouse gases are emitted from various sectors but most prominently from burning fossil fuels. Climate change has significantly affected the average temperature across countries worldwide. In the United States, an increasing number of people have stated that they have personally experienced the effects of climate change. Not only are there environmental consequences due to climate change, but also economic ones. In 2022, for instance, extreme temperatures in the United States caused over 5.5 million U.S. dollars in economic damage. These economic ramifications occur for several reasons, which include higher temperatures, changes in regional precipitation, and rising sea levels.