Fact Check: The Earth's average temperature has increased over the past century.

Fact Check: "The Earth's average temperature has increased over the past century."

What We Know

The claim that the Earth's average temperature has increased over the past century is supported by extensive scientific data. According to the NOAA Climate.gov, the global average surface temperature has risen significantly, with 2024 being recorded as the warmest year since records began in 1850. The global average temperature in 2024 was reported to be 2.32°F (1.29°C) above the 20th-century average (1901-2000) and 2.63°F (1.46°C) above the pre-industrial average (1850-1900) (source-1).

NASA's Earth Observatory corroborates this, stating that the average global temperature has increased by at least 1.1°C (1.9°F) since 1880, with most of this warming occurring since 1975. The data indicates a warming rate of approximately 0.15 to 0.20°C per decade during this period (source-2).

The EPA also confirms that average temperatures at the Earth's surface are increasing and are expected to continue rising, highlighting the variability in warming across different regions (source-3).

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim of increasing global temperatures is robust and comes from multiple reputable sources. The NOAA and NASA are both authoritative organizations in climate science, providing data that is widely accepted in the scientific community. The NOAA's report indicates that it has been 48 years since Earth experienced a cooler-than-average year, which underscores the persistent trend of rising temperatures (source-1).

Moreover, the consistency of findings across different independent research groups enhances the credibility of the data. For instance, the GlobalChange.gov notes that since the 1850s, the average global temperature has increased by 1.9°F, with temperatures exceeding the last century's average every year since the late 1970s (source-7). This convergence of data from multiple sources strengthens the argument that human activities, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, are primarily responsible for this warming trend.

However, it is important to note that while natural variability does play a role in climate patterns, the overwhelming consensus among climate scientists is that human-induced factors are the primary drivers of the recent temperature increases (source-2). This consensus is supported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which states that human activities have unequivocally caused global warming (source-1).

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that "The Earth's average temperature has increased over the past century" is true. The evidence from multiple authoritative sources, including NOAA and NASA, confirms a significant rise in global temperatures since the late 19th century, primarily driven by human activities. The data shows a clear upward trend in average temperatures, with the last few decades experiencing the most rapid increases.

Fact Check: The Earth's average temperature has increased over the past century.