The world just endured the hottest summer on record

“This string of record temperatures is increasing the likelihood of 2024 being the hottest year on record,” Burgess said in a written statement.

“The temperature-related extreme events witnessed this summer will only become more intense, with more devastating consequences for people and the planet unless we take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she added.

The data from C3S, which has been tracking the daily global mean temperature since 1940, comes after an unprecedented number of national heat records have been broken since the start of the year.

Extreme heat is made much more likely by the climate crisis, the chief driver of which is the burning of fossil fuels.

Scientists have repeatedly called for rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to stop global average temperatures rising.