Write-Up

Carbon in America: Where Do We Stand?

HOW DOES GLOBAL CLIMATE POLICY AFFECT VEGETATION AND LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE?

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As satellites record states from above, the United States joins, leaves, and rejoins the Paris Agreement. Are these environmental changes visible when looking at a map?

  • Limit warming to well below 2°C (aim for 1.5°C)
  • Cut global emissions rapidly and reach net-zero later this century
  • Strengthen national climate plans every 5 years
  • Support adaptation and climate resilience
  • Provide financial and technological support to developing countries
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by ~43% by 2030 after peaking in 2025
More information at the UN Climate site

U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN THE PARIS AGREEMENT

The Paris Agreement sets a global temperature goal, but each country chooses how seriously to participate. Use the timeline to see how U.S. membership has shifted over time, then read primary sources in the summary box below.

Timeline of U.S. Membership

Scrub across the bar or click the labeled dots to jump to key years. Colors show whether the U.S. was in, stepping away from, or outside the Paris Agreement.

2015–2025: Move along the bar to explore how U.S. membership has changed.
Joined & ratified Withdrawal announced U.S. formally leaves U.S. rejoins

Why This Timeline Matters

From 2015 onward, the Paris Agreement created a shared framework for limiting warming, but the U.S. moved in and out of the treaty. Use the timeline above to jump to a year and see what the government was saying & doing about climate commitments.

Tracking U.S. Environmental Change

This view uses MODIS satellite data for NDVI (vegetation greenness) and land surface temperature (day, in °F). The map shows a seasonal snapshot; the chart shows how a typical year unfolds for the U.S. and any state you click. Vegetation greenness ranges from 0.0 to 1.0 where values closer to 0 indicate barren land while values closer to 1 indicate lushful areas.

Yearly Average Map

Each state is colored by the chosen variable, averaged for the selected year and month. Click a state to see its full yearly curve on the right. Click again to remove.

U.S. Average Yearly Pattern

Lines show the yearly averages for the selected variable. Use the year slider to animate through time.

U.S. Average
Tip: Use the Play button to animate through years. The glowing dot shows the current year's value.

All values are monthly means across 2014–2024. NDVI is unitless; land surface temperature is in degrees Fahrenheit.

  • In January 2025, President Trump signed an order to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement again.
  • The U.S. sent formal notice to the UN, and the exit will take one year to become official.
  • Many states and cities say they will still follow Paris-aligned climate goals.
  • International groups warn the withdrawal weakens global climate cooperation.

More information at the Congress site

Projecting the Warming Future

Are We On Track for 2030?

Use a simple prediction model to see whether global emissions are on pace for the 43% drop by 2030.

Global greenhouse gas emissions (GtCO₂e) vs. 2030 pathway

Actual data (2010–2024)
Model projection
Paris-aligned pathway

Use two fingers to scroll up
or down the chart to pan
the y-axis.

Hover or drag across the chart to inspect a year. Compare the model path (pink) to the Paris-aligned path (green) and the actual data through 2024 (orange).

Climate Policy Impact Simulator

Adjust the policy levers below to help the U.S. get to the Paris 2030 target. Powered by real U.S. emissions data (EPA, 2010-2022).

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  • The U.S. is not on track for the Paris Agreement’s 43% emissions cut by 2030 under current trends.
  • Policy swings (join → withdraw → rejoin) create uncertainty and slow long-term progress.
  • U.S. seasonal data (NDVI and LST) already show warming patterns—hotter summers, shifting vegetation.
  • Global climate policy shapes future warming, which then shapes local U.S. environmental conditions.
  • The U.S. is a major contributor to global emissions, so we must play an equally significant role in protecting the planet.

Every year we delay makes the slope steeper. The next few years decide the curve.

More information on policies at the U.S. Climate Alliance site