LONDON, Dec 13 (KUNA) — This year is on course to be one of the UK’s hottest yet, weather experts said Thursday.
The London Meteorological Centre said new figures, which it compiled with the University of East Anglia, in southern England, were further evidence of the need to tackle climate change.
Globally, 2007 has so far been the seventh hottest since records began in 1850, with an average temperature of 14.4 centigrade.
And in the UK, where nationwide records have been kept since 1914, the 2007 average between January and December was 9.7 centigrade.
The findings were released as leading scientists and politicians met at a conference in Bali to discuss ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr Vicky Pope, of the London Meteorological Centre, who attended the meeting, said “The last few days have provided an important platform for debate and confirms the need for swift action to combat further rises in global temperatures because of human behaviour.” The research found the 11 warmest average annual global temperatures were recorded in the past 13 years.
The Meteorological Centre said the hotter climate had resulted in a drop in sea-ice coverage in the Northern Hemisphere during the year, with record lows recorded in July, August and September.
Sea-ice levels in the Southern Hemisphere had remained close to average, although the Meteorological Centre said exact figures were not available.