June 21 is the sixth annual #ShowYourStripes Day – a time when meteorologists and other climate communicators around the world raise awareness of our warming planet by displaying these colorful visuals of climate change.
Created by Professor Ed Hawkins, a climate scientist at the University of Reading, the global warming stripes are a simple visual representation of the long-term rise in global temperatures due to human-caused climate change.
Each stripe represents the global temperature averaged over one year, from 1850 to 2022. Red stripes are years that were hotter than the 1971-2000 average; blue stripes are years that were cooler.
These visually powerful tools of climate change communication can help to connect the dots between extreme weather and climate warming in your community. Climate Central’s Climate Matters team makes it possible to access Stripes graphics for nearly 200 cities and 49 states. Find your location.
The global warming stripes graphic shows a rapid shift from blue to red stripes in recent decades as carbon pollution has warmed the planet. But, actions are currently underway to address the threats of climate change, including here in Minnesota.
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The U.S. produced enough wind and solar energy in 2022 to power the equivalent of 64 million homes—reflecting a surge in the country’s wind and solar capacity that’s projected to continue.
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Heat-trapping emissions have already decreased in most U.S. states since 2005.
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The solutions needed to accelerate these recent trends by cutting carbon from transportation, electricity, agriculture, and industry already exist—and are expanding across the country.
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Here in Minnesota,
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The Climate Action Framework, released in September 2016, sets a vision for how our state will address and prepare for climate change.
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The 100% Clean Energy by 2040 bill, signed by Governor Walz in February 2023, will help us take steps to lower greenhouse gas emissions, combat the climate crisis, and create new clean energy jobs.
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Learn more and sign up to #ShowYourStripes today!
