World on course for warmest year

The current year is in the running to be the hottest globally and for the UK since records began, early estimates show. In the first 10 months of 2014 (January-October), global average air temperature was about 0.57 degrees Celsius above the long-term average. And the 1st 11 months in the UK have produced an average temperature 1.6C above the long-term. The global figures come in estimates from the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). A separate study by the UK Met Office says the observed temperatures would be highly unlikely without the influence of greenhouse gases produced by humans. If this year’s current global trend continues for the next two months, the previous record years of 1998, 2005 and 2010 will be overtaken by a narrow margin. Secretary-General of the WMO, Michel Jarraud, said the preliminary data for 2014 was ‘consistent with what we expect from a changing climate,’ according to BBC.