Madhumitha Jaganmohan
Research expert covering climate and environmental sustainability
Get in touch with us nowGlobal land temperature anomalies 1880-2020
Calculating an accurate average global temperature has proven quite difficult since the nineteenth century, as maintaining accurate records from the same locations over such a long period of time has challenged meteorologists, particularly in remote locations, and in deserts or on mountains. Therefore, meteorologists use global averages over (typically) three decade periods to give context and perspective to information. For this data set, the average global temperature between the years 1981 and 2010 is used as a benchmark to put other temperatures into context.
Man-made change
Since 1880, the average global land temperature has fluctuated with a range of 1.59 degrees Celsius in 2020. Compared to the global average between 1901 to 2000, the global average was at it's lowest point, (0.71 degrees below average) in 1884, whereas the highest point (1.59 degrees above) in 2020. Generally speaking, the earth's temperature does naturally increase over time as the earth goes through cyclic changes, however the scientific community has concluded that human interference, particularly deforestation and the consumption of fossil fuels, has acted as a catalyst in recent centuries. Increases in the unprecedented numbers of natural disasters in the past few decades, such as tropical cyclones, wildfires and heatwaves, have been attributed to this slight, man-made increase in the earth's surface temperature.
End of an ice age?
Although a one or two degree anomaly may not seem like a large difference, especially in comparison to the weather changes we see on a daily basis, it is important to note that changes to the ocean and land temperatures have a much more significant consequences for the entire world. For example, a one to two degree drop in the middle ages gave way to what's known as the 'Little Ice Age', which caused northern hemisphere winters to be much colder for almost six centuries (from around 1300 until the 1870s). A five degree drop triggered the last major ice age (the Quarternary Glaciation), over 20,000 years ago, and technically this ice age is still continuing today. This ice age is in its final 'interglacial' period, and it will not officially end until the remnants of the final ice sheets melt (of which there are only two left today, in Antarctica and Greenland).
Man-made change
Since 1880, the average global land temperature has fluctuated with a range of 1.59 degrees Celsius in 2020. Compared to the global average between 1901 to 2000, the global average was at it's lowest point, (0.71 degrees below average) in 1884, whereas the highest point (1.59 degrees above) in 2020. Generally speaking, the earth's temperature does naturally increase over time as the earth goes through cyclic changes, however the scientific community has concluded that human interference, particularly deforestation and the consumption of fossil fuels, has acted as a catalyst in recent centuries. Increases in the unprecedented numbers of natural disasters in the past few decades, such as tropical cyclones, wildfires and heatwaves, have been attributed to this slight, man-made increase in the earth's surface temperature.
End of an ice age?
Although a one or two degree anomaly may not seem like a large difference, especially in comparison to the weather changes we see on a daily basis, it is important to note that changes to the ocean and land temperatures have a much more significant consequences for the entire world. For example, a one to two degree drop in the middle ages gave way to what's known as the 'Little Ice Age', which caused northern hemisphere winters to be much colder for almost six centuries (from around 1300 until the 1870s). A five degree drop triggered the last major ice age (the Quarternary Glaciation), over 20,000 years ago, and technically this ice age is still continuing today. This ice age is in its final 'interglacial' period, and it will not officially end until the remnants of the final ice sheets melt (of which there are only two left today, in Antarctica and Greenland).
