2015 to become the hottest year ever, but 2016 could be worse, says WMO
Climate change talks in Paris could be crucial to determine the outcome of the global temperature rise in the coming years.
The year is set to become the hottest on record, the World Meteorological Organisation said on Wednesday, days before the landmark climate change summit in Paris. The WMO said that there is no "silver bullet" or one-fix-fits-all to counter climate change, but inaction on the matter could see average global temperatures rise by 6 degrees Celsius or more, reported Reuters. This means that while 2015 saw record temperatures, 2016 could be even hotter. The WMO said there was an urgent need for governments, industries and citizens to step up their efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
WMO director-general Michel Jarraud said that if steps were agreed upon in the global climate summit in Paris beginning Monday, the rise could be kept within 2°C, a target set in 2010 to try to prevent a dramatic increase in extreme weather. "Much depends on the decisions in Paris," he said.
The years 2011-2015 have been the hottest five-year period on record, with temperatures about 0.57°C above the 1961-1990 reference period.
