Graph shows the frightening impact of global warming on New Zealand
Watch: Auckland Council votes unanimously to declare a climate emergency Credits: Video, Newshub, Image, Supplied/Ed Hawkins A graph has revealed the frightening impact of climate change on New Zealand. Using data from Berkeley Earth, an independent scientific research organisation focused on climate change and global warming. It spans from 1901 to 2018 and rather than using numbers the graph uses colour to represent annual average temperatures for New Zealand. Years which are cooler than average are represented in shades of blue and hotter months in red. Across the globe the trend of warming is consistent. The graphs go from blue to scarlet illustrating the rise in average temperatures across the world. NIWA has a similar graph, made using temperature records from seven stations across New Zealand. The two graphs are slightly different due to the different data but both reflect the same trend of increased temperatures. Although there are a few years which are relatively cool, the trend is an increase in temperature. Berkeley Earth uses data from 36,000 land surface stations which record temperatures, wind speed, rain and other weather. This data is then used to measure average temperatures and map trends in global warming. Ed Hawkins, the creator of the graph, has encouraged social media users to "show their stripes" by entering their home countries into the website and generating their own graph. Newshub.