“Unveiling the Impact of Global Warming on Daily Temperatures Across the Globe”
In a groundbreaking development, a new report released today by Climate Central details the global impact of climate change on daily temperatures using a simplified scale known as the Climate Shift Index. This index allows for the calculation and scoring of the influence of climate change on temperatures worldwide, providing valuable insights into the effects of global warming.
The Climate Shift Index, first utilized in the United States, incorporates observation- and model-based calculations to determine how much more likely or frequent daily temperatures have become as a result of climate change. A level 3 on the index, for example, indicates that the day’s temperature was made at least 3 times more likely due to human-caused climate change.
Over the past 12 months, more than 7.6 billion people, or 96% of the global population, experienced daily average temperatures influenced by climate change. Regions near the equator and on small islands, including Mexico, Brazil, western and eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Malay Archipelago, were particularly impacted by the effects of global warming.
On any given day during the analyzed period, at least 200 million people experienced temperatures with a Climate Shift Index level of 3 or higher. On 75 days, over 1 billion people experienced temperatures at this level, with a peak of 1.7 billion people on October 21, 2021. Cities with large populations, such as Mexico City, Singapore, and Lagos, Nigeria, were among those most exposed to high Climate Shift Index levels.
Dr. Andrew Pershing, director of climate science at Climate Central, emphasized the importance of the Climate Shift Index in understanding how climate change is shaping local weather patterns. The tool provides a clear and accessible way for the public to grasp the impact of climate change on daily temperatures worldwide.
Climate Central is offering downloadable daily compilations of global Climate Shift Index scores until the end of the United Nations COP27 climate change conference on November 18. For more information or to request the data, visit climatecentral.org/tools/climate-shift-cities or contact Climate Central’s director of communications, Peter Girard.
Climate Central is a non-advocacy, non-profit organization dedicated to providing authoritative information to help the public and policymakers make informed decisions about climate and energy. The Climate Shift Index represents a significant advancement in climate attribution science, offering valuable insights into the global impact of climate change on daily temperatures.