A recent update to climate apps with historical weather data showcased that 94% of the warmest years on record have all occurred between 2000 and 2020. Additionally, carbon dioxide levels in the air are rising and have reached unprecedented levels. Carbon dioxide levels were around 325 parts per million in the 1960s and have grown to nearly 420ppm this year. According to scientists, carbon dioxide levels have not been this high in millions of years. 

What is climate change?

Climate change includes changes made to the earth’s climate by human emissions of greenhouse gases and their impact on weather patterns. Although climatic changes have occurred historically too, none of those changes can match the effect that modern humans have made since the mid of the 20th century. Climate change apps monitor, record, analyze and showcase these patterns to better understand the impact of human activity on our planet. 

According to Matthew Lachinet—a paleoclimatologist at the University of Nevada, “For the most part, carbon dioxide was below 400 ppm for the last 14 million years or so”. To put things into perspective, the average temperature of the earth has risen by 1 degree Celsius, giving rise to extreme floods, drought, melting of the polar ice caps and record-breaking heatwaves. Sea levels have also been on the rise, which is easily seen using a sea-level rise app. Today, information technology and climate change are inseparable as we depend on modern technologies and climate apps to help track, monitor and plan to effectively reverse climate change.

Can climate change be reversed?

Usually, nature can deal with excess carbon on its own. If the earth has thousands of years to absorb this carbon, it can be stored away in rocks in a process called silicate weathering. Carbon is absorbed into the oceans, in the green cover, and on the ground, but today’s changes are too fast for nature to handle. It is these climate changes that worsened the 2020 bushfires in Australia.

Although the onus of handling and fixing these issues lies in how governmental policy is shaped, there are other simple ways to fix these problems—through mobile apps.

What are climate change apps? How can they help us?

Mobile apps for climate change can inform users about changes in the climate of the earth through information, notifications, and videos. For example, apps can use a tilt sensor to calculate the amount of solar radiation hitting your rooftop, giving you an idea of how well our Ozone layer is doing. Other apps use technology for climate change to help users find locations with alternative energy sources to reduce their carbon footprint, track air pollution levels in real-time, and much more.

Apps showcase the role of technology in climate change. Mobiles are everywhere, and it is easy to provide technological solutions in apps to fight climate change. Here are 10 of the best eco-friendly apps that help you make a positive change for our environment:

1. NASA Earth Now app

This outstanding free app from NASA showcases real-time data of the vital signs of our planet. If you’re interested in carbon dioxide conditions, anomalies in gravity or ozone levels of Antarctica, this is the app for the amateur scientist in you!

2. Chasing Ice

This amazing app created by renowned photographer James Balog and his team uses 30 time-lapse cameras deployed across the globe to monitor and document glaciers. These apps show beautiful photos and time-lapses of decaying glaciers and can showcase the impact human activity is having on ice caps around the world. Eco-friendly climate apps that help the environment such as Chasing Ice are a good way to visually observe the impact of climate change in real-time.

3. iHurricane HD

This app helps individuals keep track of hurricanes in the Atlantic and Pacific. With maps, satellite images, forecasts, and important data on wind velocity and rainfall, iHurricane HD can help individuals, travelling across hurricane-hit regions, evade areas with high chances of flooding, rain or high winds.

4. Carbon emissions calculator

Carbon Emissions Calculator is a useful solution to monitor your carbon emissions while travelling. This app helps you check the amount of carbon dioxide your flight will add to the atmosphere.

5. AlertMe Energy Map

This UK-specific climate app gives you a bird’s-eye view of the carbon footprint of those around you. You can easily find out the average annual spend on energy, how much power and gas are used, and how much carbon emission that creates. You will also be able to see how your area ranks against others in the UK for energy use and carbon emissions.

6. Good on You

A great app for those into sustainability. Good on You rates fashion brands according to their efforts to be environmentally friendly. This climate app will help you to make an informed, conscious, climate-friendly decision while buying clothes. You can also explore sustainable brands, compare trends, and read amazing articles about sustainability in the app.

7. #Climate

This app has a large database full of meaningful actions taking place around the world for the betterment of the environment. This iOS-only app allows social media climate enthusiasts to share climate-centric campaigns on Facebook and Twitter to help create a global positive climate change.

8. UN Climate Change

Created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), this great app provides updated information about the UN’s climate change process so you can participate in UNFCCC events from your phone. The app comes with an events calendar, the latest climate news, and access to resources that help you stay informed about the climate.

9. Solarchecker

Solarchecker helps you to find out if you can install a solar energy system on your roof. Based on your iPhone’s compass and tilt sensor, this app determines the orientation and pitch of the roof, which is then leveraged with the size of your roof to estimate energy yields and carbon savings a solar power generation system can provide in your area.

10. World Bank climate change data finder

In addition to providing data about the climate, greenhouse emissions, and carbon footprints of a country, the app also showcases the development indicators of a country according to the data available with the World Bank. This app is an amazing handy reference for students, researchers, and journalists.

Climatic conditions around the world are worsening by the day as we churn out more greenhouse gases than ever before. The onus of reversing this change lies in us humans so we can keep the planet livable for future generations.

If you have an idea about an app to reduce the carbon footprint or an app to combat climate change, we would LOVE to talk to you. We believe in building sustainable and accessible products that can make the world a greener place to live.