Global temperatures in 2016 are likely to be as warm or even warmer than in 2015, which will be the warmest on record, Britain’s meteorological office said on Thursday.
Global temperatures in 2016 are likely to be as warm or even warmer than in 2015, which will be the warmest on record, Britain’s meteorological office said on Thursday.
The weather forecasters said global mean temperatures in 2016 are expected between 0.72 and 0.96 degrees Celsius above the long term (1961-1990) average of 14 degrees Celsius.
“This forecast suggests that by the end of 2016 we will have seen three record, or near-record years in a row for global temperatures,” Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the met office, said in a statement.
The met office said manmade global warming combined with an impact from the El Nino weather phenomenon was driving the high temperatures.
“The forecast is based on the key drivers of global climate, but it doesn’t include random events, such as large volcanic eruptions, which can cause a temporary cooling effect,” the met office said.
Meanwhile, Britain cut more renewable energy subsidies on Thursday, putting jobs at risk and drawing criticism for losing credibility in tackling climate change, a week after the landmark deal in Paris.
Britain’s Conservative government has been reining in spending on all renewables subsidies since it took power in May, saying the cost of green technology has come down sharply and that the subsidies should reflect that.
