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Indicators of climate change and environmental degradation

  • Page | Last updated: 05 Jun 2019
Strategic Foresight

Earth Overshoot Day

Past Earth Overshoot Days
Global Footprint Network, Past Earth Overshoot Days (© Global Footprint Network)

Earth Overshoot Day
Source: Global Footprint Network, Past Earth Overshoot Days

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Global warming -- IPCC estimates

environment-climate-change-ipcc2018
(© IPCC 'Global Warming of 1.5 ºC' report, 2018)

Source: IPCC report Global Warming of 1.5 ºC, 2018

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Accelerated warming -- combination of three trends: rising emissions, declining air pollution and natural climate cycle

Accelerating warming
(© Global warming will happen faster than we think, Nature 564, 30-32 (2018) doi: 10.1038/d41586-018-07586-5)

Source: Global warming will happen faster than we think
Nature 564, 0-32 (2018), doi: 10.1038/d41586-018-07586-5

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SDG Interactive Index and Trend Dashboards 2018

2018 SDG Index and Dashboards
(© SDG Index)

source: SDG Index and Dashboards Report - 2018

The SDG Dashboards provide a visual representation of countries’ performance by SDGs to identify priorities for action. 
Note: Google Chrome needed for interactiveness.

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Sustainable development in the European Union

European Union Performance towards the SDGs
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/4031688/9226701/KS-02-18-827-EN-N.pdf/99e61150-e84c-4d5b-ba16-36a75d55855d (© European Union, 2018)

European Union progress towards the SDGs

Source: Eurostat Sustainable development in the European Union; Overview of progress towards the SDGs in an EU context 

 

 

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Ecological wealth of nations

map_of_ecological_deficit_and_reserve-global_footprint_network
(© FAO, Crop production)

Source: Global Footprint Network, Ecological deficit/reserve (interactive map)

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Simulation of Global Temperature

noaa_global_mean_sea_level_chart
(© NOAA Climate.gov)

Source: NOAA Climate.gov, Global Climate Dashboard, Climate Projections

 

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Global greenhouse gas emissions

annual_global_total_greenhouse_gas_emission-unep_report_2017
(@UNEP Environment Synthesis Report 2017)

Global greenhouse gas emissions under different scenarios and the emissions gap in 2030, median estimate and 10th to 90th percentile range.
Source: UNEP, (2017), The Emissions Gap Report 2017 (pdf)

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Primary CO2 emissions reduction potential by technology in the Reference Case and REmap, 2015-2050

primary_co2_emission_reduction-irena-report
(@Perspectives for the energy transition, Irena report 2017)
Renewables would account for half of total emissions reductions in 2050, with another 45% coming from increased energy efficiency and electrification
CO2 emissions include energy-related emissions (fossil fuel, waste, gas flaring) and process emissions from industry. If only fossil fuel emissions were displayed in this figure, CO2 emissions in 2050 would be at 42 Gt and 10 Gt per year in the Reference Case and REmap, respectively.
Source: IRENA, 2017, Perspectives for the energy transition: Investment needs for a low-carbon energy system (full report)
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Economic growth and low-carbon transition are compatible

economic_growth_and_low-carbon-european_enviroment_agency
(© European Commission, European Environment Agency)

Source: EPSC strategic note, Financing Sustainability: triggering Investments for the Clean Economy, Issue 25 (2017)

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Global CO2 emissions

co2_emission_from_fossil_fuel_industry_and_products_use_jrc_2017
(© JRC, European Commission)

Source:Fossil CO2 and GHG emissions of all world countries, JRC, 2017.

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Global Mean Sea Level Scenarios for 2100

gmsl_rise_noaa_report_012017
(© NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Global Mean Sea Level relative to historical geological, tide gauge and satellite altimeter the GMSL reconstructions from 1800–2015 and central 90% conditional probability ranges of RCP-based GMSL projections of recent studies.
Source: Global and regional sea level rise scenarios for the united states, NOAA report, January 2017, pp. 21-22.

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UN Progress Dashboards on the SDGs by country

climate-sdgs-dashboards
(© UN SDSN Youth)

Source: UN, SDG Index and Dashboards Report 2017
Source report: SDG Index and Dashboards Report

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Progress on the SDGs in the OECD countries

oecd_graphic_measuring_distance_to_the_sdg_targets
(@OECD)

Source: OECD, 2017, Measuring distance to the SDG targets:an assessment of where oecd countries stand (pdf)

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Global average surface temperature change

global_average_surface_temperature_change_ipcc_report
(© IPCC, Climate Change 2014 Report)

Source: IPCC, Climate change 2014, Synthesis Report

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Global average sea ice change

global_average_sea_ice_change_ipcc_report
(© IPCC, Climate Change 2014 report)

Source: IPCC, Climate change 2014, Synthesis Report

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Human-induced soil degradation in the world

human_induced_soil_degradation_in_the_world-climate_change
(© FAO)

Source: FAO, Soil degradation

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Satellite sea level observations

satellite_sea_level_observations_nasa
(@NASA)

Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight, Center Global Climate Change, satellite sea level observations

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Arctic sea ice, September extent

artic_sea_ice_minumum_nasa
(© NASA)

Source: NASA, Global Climate Change, Arctic Sea Ice Average September extent

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Number of loss events

number_of_loss_events
(© Yale Climate Connections)

Source: Yale Climate Connections, Some severe weather events more common, a likely trend

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Simulated change in wheat yields in the tropics in response to the temperature increase

simulated_change_in_wheat-climate_change
(© Bird Life Intenational)

Source: BirdLife International, Projected Impacts: climate change will have profound consequences for people

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Population exposed to pollution levels above WHO guidelines

Population exposed to pollution levels above WHO guidelines
(© OECD, Green Growth Indicators 2017)

Source: OECD, Green Growth Indicators 2017

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More on this Megatrend

More information and links
Originally Published | Last Updated

19 Sep 2018 | 05 Jun 2019

Knowledge service | MetadataStrategic Foresight | The Megatrends Hub | Climate change and environmental degradation
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET)climate changedegradation of the environmentfood securitygreenhouse gasland usemigrationpollutionpopulation dynamicsreduction of gas emissionsseasustainable agriculturewater pollutionWealthclean technologysustainable developmentagricultural production
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