In conjunction with the Copenhagen 2009 Climate Conference, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP)  has released a new composite index of climate change that combines data from four key areas of research to reveal an unequivocal rise since 1980 in atmospheric carbon dioxide, temperature, sea level, and sea ice. The index will be updated annually, providing an ongoing indicator of cumulative effects within these complex systems.  Combining data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory of the Natural Environment Research Council, the index is the work of multiple scientific research efforts in global climate change. A two-minute video about the index is also available from IGBP, and on YouTube. K12 Teachers can find resources and lessons focused on climate change at Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, the NSDL Middle School Portal, the Climate Literacy Network, and multimedia resources from Teachers Domain. Explore NSDL climate change resources for secondary and higher education, and NSDL’s Classic Articles in Context entry for an historical survey of climate change issues: Climate Change and Anthropogenic Greenhouse Warming: A Selection of Key Articles.