Biodiversity conservation & spatial patterns for climate change impact and adaptation

An Essential Climate Variable (ECV) is a physical, chemical or biological variable or a group of linked variables that critically contributes to the characterization of Earth’s climate. GCOS currently specifies 55 ECVs. ECV datasets provide the empirical evidence needed to understand and predict the evolution of climate, to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to be underlying causes, and to underpin climate services. They are required to support the work of the UNFCCC and the IPCC.