The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says last year’s average global temperature was the highest on record.

It was about 1.1 degree higher than the pre-industrial period and 0.07 degrees warmer than the previous record, set in 2015.

“[Last year] was an extreme year for the global climate and stands out as the hottest year on record,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said.

“But temperatures only tell part of the story. Long-term indicators of human-caused climate change reached new heights.

“Carbon dioxide and methane concentrations surged to new records.”

Each of the 16 hottest years on record have been this century apart from 1998, when there was a strong El Nino system.