As per World Meteorological Organization, 2015 is all set to become the hottest year ever recorded. As far as the year 2016 is concerned, there is no relief expected either. In fact, due to the El-Nino weather pattern, 2016 could get even hotter. The warmest year on record till now was 2014.
Global average temperatures may end up rising by 6 degree Celsius or more if no strict and plannable action is taken against climate change. The Paris Climate Summit will begin on Monday, and there is still a chance that some solid action may be taken to keep the global temperatures in check. Each year, the planet is getting hotter raising more concerns.
Due to extreme temperatures and a series of heatwaves due to climate change, the years between 2011 and 2015 have been the hottest five years ever recorded. As per the WMO secretary, Michel Jerraud, 2015 is likely to be historical in terms of global climate for a number of reasons.
New highs have been recorded in the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Also, the global average concentration of carbon dioxide in a span of three months have crossed the 400 ppm mark for the very first time. Ocean surface temperatures have been at their highest ever since measurements were taken, which is a really bad news for our beloved planet.
While Asia and South America are observing their hottest years on the planet, it is the second hottest year for Europe and Africa. Also, the United Kingdom maintains the record of 2014 being the hottest year. Another point to be noted here is that Britain is heating up at a 20 percent higher rate as compared to the rest of the world.
According to the WMO, oceans warm slower as compared to land areas. This implies that there are many land areas that have already crossed the one-degree mark several years ago and are only heating up at a faster rate. Hopefully, Paris Climate Talks will bring in an ultimate solution to this global problem, which needs an immediate plan of action.
Image Credit: independent.co.uk
