Five data sets currently place 2020, a year characterised by heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and raging hurricanes, as the second warmest since records began in 1850. "2020 is very likely to be one of the three warmest years on record globally," the Geneva-based UN agency said in its State of the Global Climate in 2020 report. Stoked by extreme heat, wildfires flared across Australia, Siberia and the United States this year, sending smoke plumes around the globe. Less visible was a surge in marine heat to record levels, with more than 80% of the global ocean experiencing a marine heatwave, the WMO said. "2020 has, unfortunately, been yet another extraordinary year for our climate," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas, urging more efforts to curb the emissions that are fuelling climate change.

Source: bd News24 December 02, 2020 12:56 UTC