Since the Industrial Revolution started in 1750 the levels of CO2 in our atmosphere have increased by 30-40%. This is believed to have contributed significantly to global warming.
In 2018, 20 of the warmest recorded years on earth were reported to have been within the preceding 22 years according to measurements taken by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
Between 2005 and 2015 the average sea levels on the planet increased by 3.6mm due to melting ice and heat expansion.
The changes to our climate are causing extreme weather swings; from flooding due to rising sea levels, storms due to increased evaporation and uncontrollable fires… threatening habitats, endangering wildlife and leading to the spread of disease, decreased food production and loss of human life.
The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, saw all members of the United Nations pledge action to keep global average temperature increases below 2°c. Following a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) there is now a global aspiration to limit the increase to 1.5°c.
The ice coverage in the Arctic Sea has dramatically reduced from 1979 to 2019. See the picture gallery below for space imaging by NASA, or click on the NASA link at the bottom of the page for a fully interactive time lapse!