The UN weather agency says this year is likely to be the warmest on record partly due to increasing greenhouse gas levels.
The World Meteorological Organization announced findings of its early report for 2015 at a news conference on Wednesday, ahead of a UN climate change conference to open in Paris later this month.
The report says the average global temperature for January through October this year was 0.73 degrees Celsius above the 30-year average through 1990.
This makes it highly likely the annual average for 2015 will be the highest on record.
The report also says the temperature is likely to be about one degree higher than the pre-industrial 1880-1899 period.
The WMO attributes the rise in temperature to increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and prolonged El Nino conditions, or unusually warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific off South America.
WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said urgency is required as temperatures are already one degree higher and greenhouse gas emissions are increasing.
But he indicated it is still possible to change the situation if a strong decision is made at the conference in Paris.
Source and image: NHK
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