Global Surface Temperature Change
How the climate you were born into differs from the one you'll grow old in—and what that means for the generations that follow.
This visualization is based on Figure SPM.1 from the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report—a striking image that shows our planet's warming trajectory across different futures.
What does 2.5°C mean for you? For your children? For the world they'll inherit?
We built this tool because that image, while scientifically precise, felt abstract. The colored stripes represent humanity's shared future, but they don't show what that future means for any one person—for your retirement, for your child's graduation, for your grandchildren's prime years.
Below, add yourself and your loved ones to see how each scenario translates into lived experience. The data comes directly from the IPCC. But now it's personal.
About the science
The period 2011–2020 was approximately 1.1°C warmer than 1850–1900. The five scenarios shown (SSP1-1.9 to SSP5-8.5) represent different possible futures based on societal choices about emissions. Each is backed by comprehensive climate modeling from the world's leading research institutions.
Five possible futures
- Very HighWe do nothing, emissions double→ +4.4°C
- HighWe delay action, emissions keep rising→ +3.6°C
- IntermediateWe hold emissions flat until 2050, then slowly cut→ +2.7°C
- LowWe take strong action starting now→ +1.8°C
- Very LowWe act fast, reach net-zero by 2050→ +1.5°C
No people added yet. Add someone to see their life course on the timeline.
Your location
Choose a scenario to explore your future
Regional Climate Explorer
See how warming affects different regions over time
Select a scenario above to explore regional climate projections on the map.