Global warming: Past seven years hottest recorded according to EU data

Image source, John Keeble/Getty

Image caption, Europe and other parts of the world saw blisteringly hot summers last year

The last seven years have been the hottest ever recorded, according to data from the European Union's (EU) satellite system.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service, an EU organisation that monitors and analyses our changing climate, also said that 2021 was the fifth hottest year ever.

It was also Europe's warmest summer on record, and the soaring temperatures led to wildfires affecting countries such as Turkey, Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Algeria.

Although governments around the world have pledged to keep global temperatures from rising further than 1.5 degrees Celsius, experts warn that without drastic action taken now, we can expect lots more of this kind of weather in future.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, A firefighter tries to extinguish a wildfire burning in a Greek village last year

The director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service Carlo Buontempo said: "These events are a stark reminder of the need to change our ways, take decisive and effective steps toward a sustainable society and work towards reducing net carbon emissions."

More data about 2021's temperatures will be released in the coming days from other agencies including from Nasa and the UK's Met Office.

Why is this happening?

Image source, Getty Images

Global warming is caused by high levels of greenhouse gases being released in our atmosphere, which keeps heat in and warms the planet up.

And Copernicus have said that the concentration in the earth's atmosphere of two gases that significantly contribute to climate change rose in 2021.

Carbon dioxide concentrations reached 414.3 parts per million last year, which was a similar rate of increase as recorded in 2020.

However, scientists said that methane levels in the atmosphere rose sharply to 1,876 parts per billion, which they've said is concerning.