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2011 to 2015 reaches warmest five-year period on record: WMO

Xinhua, November 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported Wednesday that the period between 2011 and 2015 was the warmest five-year period on record, while preliminary findings point towards this year being the hottest year to date.

These trends are the result of long-term warming trends, WMO explained, which are mainly caused by the emission of anthropogenic greenhouse gases into the earth's atmosphere.

"We have broken new records for the concentration of greenhouse gases," WMO Secretary General Michel Jarraud highlighted, warning that "time is really not our side."

With 2015 on track to surpassing the previous record set in 2014, temperatures to the end of October this year were 0.73 degrees Celsius above the 1961 to 1990 average, WMO indicated.

Between 2011 and 2015, temperatures were over 1 degree Celsius above the 1961-1990 average in most of Europe, the Asian part of Russia, over much of the Saharan and Arabian region, southwest United States, northwest Mexico and in interior Brazil.

The period under review was also the hottest on record for Europe, South America, Asia, Oceania and North America, while ranking second for Africa.

WMO indicated that global ocean temperatures were also at unprecedented levels, and that 2011 was the world's second-wettest year on record when averaged over global land areas.

Numerous extreme weather and climate events including heat and cold waves, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts and severe storms were also recorded between 2011 and 2015.

With yearly temperature fluctuations linked to long-term warming trends, in particular as a result of El Nino or La Nina events, WMO report coordinator Omar Baddour warned that "next year may be even warmer than this year because of El Nino."

These preliminary findings come ahead of the 21st United Nations climate change conference (COP21) to be held in Paris from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

World leaders will strive to reach a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Endit