Geographic extent of warming: Average temperatures in almost all regions in the U.S. have increased in the last 120 years.
Warming over time: Annual temperatures averaged across the U.S. have exceeded the 1971–2000 average almost every year in the 21st century.
Climate change in the United States has led to the country warming by 2.6 °F (1.4 °C) since 1970. Due to climate change, the climate of the United States is shifting in ways that are widespread and varied between regions. From 2010 to 2019, the United States experienced its hottest decade on record. Extreme weather events, invasive species, floods and droughts are increasing. Climate change’s impacts on tropical cyclones and sea level rise also affects regions of the country.
Cumulatively since 1850, the U.S. has emitted
a larger share than any country of the greenhouse gases causing current
climate change, with some 20% of the global total of carbon dioxide
alone. Current US emissions per person are among the largest in the world. Various state and federal climate change policies have been introduced, and the US has ratified the Paris Agreement despite temporarily withdrawing. In 2021, the country set a target of halving its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Climate change is having considerable impacts on the environment
and society of the United States. This includes implications for agriculture, the economy, human health and indigenous peoples, and it is seen as Like this: