Human-Caused Climate Change Learning Path

Observed global temperature rise since Industrial Revolution

Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s average surface air temperature has risen by about 1.5°C (2.7°F). Multiple global datasets show a consistent warming trend at roughly 0.2°C per decade, with new high-temperature records increasingly outpacing low-temperature records. Although natural climate variability can temporarily slow or accelerate year-to-year changes, the overall long-term increase remains persistent and indicates a progressive human influence. Human-driven greenhouse gas emissions—especially from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), along with deforestation and some agricultural and industrial practices—are the main drivers of the observed warming. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the lower atmosphere by absorbing heat that Earth radiates after sunlight warms the surface. Atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased to levels not seen for millions of years, and the oceans have absorbed over 90% of the excess heat, contributing to rising ocean heat content. Observed impacts of this warming include more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires, Arctic amplification (with Arctic temperatures rising several times faster than the global average), glacier retreat and sea-ice decline, and changes that increase the intensity of storms and droughts. Even if future warming is limited, some effects—such as ocean heating, ocean acidification, and sea level rise—will continue for centuries.

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Global warming versus climate change definitions

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