2022 in Review: Global Temperature

KEY CONCEPTS

• Averaging NASA and NOAA data, Climate Central's analysis shows that 2022 was 2.03°F (1.13°C) warmer than the beginning of the 20th century.

• Despite the relative global cooling effect of the third consecutive La Niña year, 2022 still ranked as the sixth hottest year on record, averaging NASA and NOAA data. 

• 2022 has been added to the famous warming stripes—a visual representation of global temperatures since 1850 showing their striking rise due to human activities.

2022 was the planet’s sixth hottest year on record, averaging NASA and NOAA’s year-end analyses.

• This year’s warmth is consistent with long-term warming trends. 

• The top 10 hottest years on record have all occurred in the last 13 years. 

• Averaging NASA and NOAA data, Climate Central’s analysis shows that 2022 was 2.03°F (1.13°C) warmer than the 1881-1910 baseline—dangerously close to the internationally-agreed goal of limiting global warming to 2.7°F (1.5°C) above pre-industrial levels.

The planet is heating up—even during a cooling phase. 

• December 2022 saw a La Niña, the cold phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), continue for the third winter in a row. 

• 2022’s record warmth indicates that even a global cooling phenomenon like La Niña has not been enough to even briefly mask human-caused warming.

The planet is heating up—especially in the coldest places. 

• The Arctic continues to warm faster than the global average—nearly four times faster. The 2022 monitoring year (October 2021-September 2022) was the Arctic’s sixth warmest on record.

• The last seven years have been the Arctic's seven warmest since 1900.

• In 2022, the Arctic also experienced its third wettest year of the past 72 years.

• Rapid Arctic change has consequences for people, ecosystems, and livelihoods across the region.

The planet is heating up—earning another dark red stripe.

• The warming stripes graphic, created by Professor Ed Hawkins, a climate scientist at the University of Reading, visualizes average global temperature annually since 1850. 

• A blue stripe represents a below-average annual temperature relative to the 1971-2000 average, and red an above-average temperature. 2022's stripe is dark red.

Solutions ahead

• The steep rise in global temperatures since the mid-20th century reflects human-caused emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, which continued to climb in 2022. 

• The good news is that there are many opportunities to cut emissions in 2023 and beyond. 

• The latest IEA report charts ​​unprecedented acceleration in renewable energy around the world. 

• By 2027, renewables are projected to be the largest source of electricity globally—exceeding coal. 

• China, the United States and India are all expected to double their renewable capacity expansion by 2027, accounting for two-thirds of global growth.

LOCAL STORY ANGLES

Looking for more indicators of global climate change?

NOAA’s Global Climate Dashboard provides data and science explainers for 14 indicators of climate change and natural climate variability—from greenhouse gases to ocean heat content, Arctic sea ice, and El Niño and La Niña. 

How is global climate change affecting daily local temperatures? 

Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index ™ tool provides real-time estimates of how much climate change is affecting daily high and low temperatures across the entire U.S. The Global Climate Shift Index (CSI-Global) maps the influence of climate change on daily average temperatures across the entire globe. Access the free tools to see how much climate change has altered the daytime and nighttime temperatures in your local area today. 

FIND EXPERTS

Submit a request to SciLine from the American Association for the Advancement of Science or to the Climate Data Concierge from Columbia University. These free services rapidly connect journalists to relevant scientific experts. 

Browse maps of climate experts and services at regional NOAA, USDA, and Department of the Interior offices. 

Explore databases such as 500 Women Scientists, BIPOC Climate and Energy Justice PhDs and Diverse Sources to find and amplify diverse expert voices. 

Reach out to your State Climate Office or the nearest Land-Grant University to connect with scientists, educators, and extension staff in your local area. 

METHODOLOGY

Calculations of average annual global temperature are performed independently at NASA and NOAA. Small differences in their calculations arise as NASA’s calculations are extrapolated to account for polar locations with poor station coverage, while NOAA relies more heavily on the polar station data. Climate Central compares temperatures to an earlier 1880-1910 baseline to assess warming during the industrial era. Calculations of 2016 and 2020 showed a virtual tie (2016: 1.254°C, 2020: 1.250°C). The “warming stripes” was conceived and calculated by Ed Hawkins, as described here.