Global sea level has risen about eight inches since reliable record keeping began in 1880, and the rate of rise has been accelerating. Sea level rise is an indicator that describes Earth's climate without reducing global changes to just temperature. 

The climate indicators comprise key datasets for temperature and energy, atmospheric composition, ocean and water, and the ice and snow of the cryosphere. Data collected by NASA’s Earth-observing instruments help scientists measure key features of climate across decades to track how our planet is changing.

NASA’s climate indicators include datasets such as: 

• ocean surface current analyses showing how the speed of water flowing in the ocean is changing; 
• ecosystem CO2 exchange and respiration data revealing the health of biospheres; 
• carbon particle trajectory profiles that are part of measuring carbon flux; 
• permafrost and carbon release.