Kliimamonitooringut

Kliimamonitooringut, or climate monitoring, refers to the systematic and long-term observation of Earth's climate system. This process involves collecting and analyzing data on various climate-related variables to understand how the climate is changing and to detect trends. Key variables monitored include temperature, precipitation, atmospheric composition, ocean conditions, and ice cover.

The primary goal of climate monitoring is to provide the scientific basis for understanding climate change, its causes, and its potential impacts. This information is crucial for developing effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Data is collected using a wide range of instruments, including weather stations, satellites, buoys, and research vessels. These observations are integrated into complex computer models to simulate past, present, and future climate scenarios.

International cooperation plays a significant role in climate monitoring, with organizations like the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) coordinating global efforts and standardizing data collection methods. The long-term nature of climate monitoring means that consistent and reliable data records spanning decades, and ideally centuries, are essential. These records allow scientists to distinguish between natural climate variability and human-induced changes. The data gathered is made publicly available, contributing to scientific research, policy-making, and public awareness about climate change.