2016 likely to be the hottest year: UN weather agency

Ahead of the global climate change summit in Paris, the UN weather agency has sounded a note of warning, saying 2015 was the hottest year on record and 2016 likely be even hotter due to the current El Niño weather pattern.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said global average surface temperatures in 2015 were likely to reach what it called the “symbolic and significant milestone” of 1° Celsius above the pre-industrial era. “This is due to a combination of a strong El Niño and human-induced global warming,” the WMO said in a statement.

World leaders will gather in Paris on November 30 to discuss plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions and work towards an agreement to prevent world temperatures rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The El Nino leads to warming sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, causing extremes such as scorching weather and flooding. El Nino is expected to peak between October and January and will be one of the strongest on record, according to meteorologists.

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