2017 was Earth's second hottest year on recordA MUTZABAUGH CMT / TWITTER Wildfires provide the backdrop to an LA commuter's morning drive in December, 2017. Last year was Earth's second hottest on record, just behind 2016. The Copernicus Climate Change Service, the first major international weather agency to report on conditions in 2017, said temperatures averaged 14.7 degrees Celsius at the Earth's surface - 1.2C above pre-industrial times. Sixteen of the 17 warmest years have all been this century. MORE TO COME**not just with this particular story, but also climate change in general.

Source: Stuff January 04, 2018 20:37 UTC