The planet's vital signs
Six measurements of how the climate is changing, each from the scientific body that records it. Every figure is the latest month the source has published.
Global surface temperature
+1.55°C
October 2026
October 2026: +1.55 °C compared with the 1951–1980 average. That is up 0.36 °C on October 2025 and up 0.68 °C on October 2016. It is the highest October in 147 years of records.
Twelve-month running average, so single months look smoother than the figure above. Source: NASA GISTEMP v4, difference from the 1951–1980 average.
Carbon dioxide in the air
426.07 ppm
September 2026
September 2026: 426.07 ppm. That is up 1.70 ppm on September 2025 and up 24.84 ppm on September 2016. It is the highest September in 69 years of records.
Monthly values. Source: NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Mauna Loa Observatory.
Methane in the air
1,934.6 ppb
June 2026
June 2026: 1,934.6 ppb. That is up 5.4 ppb on June 2025 and up 96.7 ppb on June 2016. It is the highest June in 43 years of records.
Monthly values. Source: NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, global average.
Arctic sea ice
6.69 million km²
October 2026
October 2026: 6.69 million km². That is up 0.37 million km² on October 2025 and up 0.61 million km² on October 2016. It ranks 12 of 48 for October, where 1 is the lowest.
Every October since 1979. Source: US National Snow and Ice Data Center, Sea Ice Index.
Antarctic sea ice
16.34 million km²
October 2026
October 2026: 16.34 million km². That is down 0.62 million km² on October 2025 and down 1.12 million km² on October 2016. It is the second-lowest October in 48 years of records.
Every October since 1979. Source: US National Snow and Ice Data Center, Sea Ice Index.
Global sea level
102 mm
February 2025
February 2025: global sea level 102 mm higher than its 1993 average. That is up 1 mm on February 2024 and up 35 mm on February 2015. It is the highest February in 33 years of records.
Monthly values. Altimetry data are provided by NOAA Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry. Source: NOAA Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry, change since 1993.
The El Niño index, the seventh vital sign we follow, has its own page: El Niño status. For each country's own record, see History and Rankings.