World Records

We monitor climate change and analyse ancient records to limit global warming and protect all life on Earth.
 

World Records

We take the world’s temperature every day. Pioneers of climate change research, our readings, global temperature records and climate change documents are all used to monitor global warming.

Our important work underpins international climate negotiations and all of the assessment reports for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Framework Convention on Climate Change.

One of Europe’s largest interdisciplinary institutions, our School of Environmental Sciences brings together the expertise of geographers, economists, social scientists, Earth scientists and more to get a better picture of the Earth’s climate.

Together we compile temperature records from undersea robots and more than 7,500 weather stations all around the globe. We study the climate going back millions of years by measuring changes in fossils, tree rings and ice cores. We also study ships’ logs, people’s diaries and all kinds of evidence dating back 1,200 years to gain vital insight before climate records began that can help with future weather predictions and global warming research.

At the forefront of climate change research our understanding has led to the negotiation of international agreements to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

UEA Perspectives

“We estimate that the global average temperature for 2018 is around 1°C above pre-industrial levels, an increase almost entirely due to human activities. Principally the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by burning coal, oil and gas.” - Prof Tim Osborn, Director, Climatic Research Unit