In both the United States and the European Union, two agencies work to define and address current environmental issues through regulations, programs, and public education. These are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. and the European Environment Agency (EEA) in the EU. While both agencies serve similar functions, the EEA covers 38 countries, including “cooperating countries” (excluding the UK post-Brexit), while the EPA focuses solely on the United States, which, despite its 50 states, is one country.

Both agencies maintain websites featuring infographics, charts, graphs, and maps to communicate data. Together, the U.S. and the EU are among the three largest greenhouse gas emitters globally, with China being the third. On a per capita basis, the USA and Russia are the largest emitters. However, China currently leads in overall emissions, primarily due to its coal-dependent energy sector. Combined, the U.S., the EU, and China account for 41.5% of global emissions (WRI.org, 2020). Other significant emitters include: Germany, UK, Japan, India, France, Canada, Ukraine, Poland, Italy, South Africa, Mexico, and Iran.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established by the United Nations, assesses and reports on the science of climate change. Their detailed findings, which include risks and strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, are released periodically. The latest report, published in 2022, is the sixth assessment and is divided into three working groups: Physical Science, Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities, and Mitigation.