2016 Hottest Year on Record

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2016 was the hottest year on record, surpassing the already exceptional record of 2015.

In a press release issued January 18, WMO said the global average temperature in 2016 was 1.1°C higher than the pre-industrial record, and approximately 0.83°C above the long-term average of 14°C in 1961-1990 reference period.

It said 2016 was about 0.07°C warmer than the record of 2015.

“2016 was an experience year for the global climate change and stands out as the hottest year on record,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. “But temperature only tells part of the story.”

“Long-term indicators of human-caused climate change reached new heights in 2016, he said. Carbon dioxide and methan concentrations surged to new records. Both contribute to climate change,” said Mr. Taalas.

He added that carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for centuries and in the oceans longer, where it acidifies the ocean. He said carbon dioxide has reached the critical level of concentration in the atmosphere at 400 parts per million.

A related article in the guardian.com said 16 out of the 17 hottest years happened in this century.

It said scientific reports since 1880 show that “the world was last this warm115,000 years ago, and the planet has not experienced such high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for 4 million years.”

“The resulting extreme weather means the impact of climate change on people are coming sooner and with more ferocity than expected.

“The new data show the Earth has risen 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, when large-scale fossil fuel burning began. This brings it perilously close to the 1.5°C target included in the Paris Agreement of 2015.” – Celia E. Acedo, SU Research and Environmental News Service