On Friday, both NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that 2014 was the warmest year on record since thermometer-based records began in 1880. The agencies, which conducted independent analyses, released numerous data visualizations and charts demonstrating that -- contrary to a popular argument from climate change skeptics -- global warming is continuing, rather than pausing.
In addition to the NASA and NOAA findings, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has also found that last year was the warmest on record.
Warming has been pronounced in parts of U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia since 1985
Warming trends continue over the long-term and shorter-term
Climate scientists focus on long-term temperature trends to look for the fingerprints of manmade global warming, with shorter periods of time offering less insight.
Gavin Schmidt, director of the Goddard Institute of Space Studies in New York, told reporters that the 2014 record helps demonstrate that the climate continues to warm despite the perception among some in the climate community that warming slowed post-1998, which was a record warm year.
"There are going to be periods when short-term trends go up or go down, that's just the nature of the beast, but there's no evidence that the trends are much different now," he said, emphasizing that long-term trends show continued warming.
What 2014 looks like compared to all previous years to 1880
One of the few cool spots on the globe in 2014 was the continental U.S.
Long-term warming is due to rising greenhouse gas concentrations
Atmospheric concentrations of manmade greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, have recently skyrocketed to the highest levels in at least 800,000 years. These gases are driving global average temperatures skyward.
