State of the Planet

We believe astrobiologists are on the cusp of discovering an intelligent technologically-advanced civilization … on Earth. We wanted to produce an animation on the state of the planet. It coincides nicely with Earth Day and the March for Science.

since the video was published in 2016, there have been some updates and changes to the state of the planet. Here are some highlights: In 2019, global carbon dioxide emissions reached a record high of 36.8 gigatons, reversing the downward trend mentioned in the video. In 2020, despite a slight dip in emissions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, global temperatures still tied with 2016 as the warmest year on record. The Amazon rainforest is still under threat from deforestation, and the situation has worsened under Brazil's current administration. The melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica is accelerating, raising sea levels faster than previously anticipated. The number of species facing extinction continues to increase.

Future Earth is an international research programme on global environmental change.

State of the Planet

Main Menu