Does the USGS monitor global warming?
Not specifically. Our charge is to understand characteristics of the earth, especially the earth’s surface, that affect our Nation’s land, water, and biological resources. That includes quite a bit of environmental monitoring but other agencies, especially NOAA and NASA, are specifically funded to monitor global temperature and atmospheric phenomena such as ozone concentrations. Our work at USGS in the Earth Surface Dynamics Program focuses on understanding the likely consequences of climate change, especially by studying how climate has changed in the past.
