Climate fears as 2018 is ‘one of the hottest years ever’

THIS year is expected to be the fourth warmest year on record, say a global association of weather forecasters.

The World Meteorological Organisation said 20 of the warmest years on record have taken place in the last 22 years.

It also said the global average temperature for the first ten months of this year was nearly 1C above those between 1850 and 1900 – and could be 5C hotter by the end of this century.

WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said: ‘We are not on track to meet climate change targets and rein in temperature increases.

‘Greenhouse gas concentrations are once again at record levels and if the current trend continues we may see temperature increases of 3C to 5C by the end of the century. If we exploit all known fossil fuel resources, the temperature rise will be considerably higher.’

‘It is worth repeating once again that we are the first generation to fully understand climate change and the last generation to be able to do something about it.’

Delegates from almost 200 countries will be attending a climate conference in Poland next week called the COP24. Its aim is to continue the work started by the Paris climate deal.

Recently, Richard Bruton, whose ministerial brief includes climate action, acknowledged the Government is currently 95% off its target to reduce carbon emissions.

He said the country needed to ‘step up dramatically’ if it is serious about tackling emissions.