The recent climate conference in Bali, Indonesia may have left little in the way of concrete goals for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, but temperatures continue rising.
The year 2007 is likely to be one of the warmest and wettest in Scotland since records began. The last year will also be one of the warmest years recorded globally according to the World Meteorological Organization (see end).
According to WWF Scotland, Met Office figures show that in 2007:
- January was the 4th warmest January
- March the 5th sunniest March
- April the warmest and the 4th sunniest April ever
- May was the 4th wettest on record.
- Spring 2007 was the 2nd warmest ever recorded in Scotland, beaten only by 2003.
Scotland has already seen one month more than 3°C above the average, two months more than 2°C warmer than average and three months more than 1°C warmer than average. 2007 is likely to be one of the warmest and wettest years ever recorded in Scotland.
"The higher than normal average temperatures we have seen in many months during 2007 have continued in November, keeping 2007 firmly on track to be one of
the warmest years ever recorded. Last month we also experienced a lower than average amount of sunshine," said Dr Dan Barlow, Acting Director of WWF Scotland.
"The pattern of warmer temperatures makes a white Christmas in Scotland a more remote possibility every year."
As well as more extreme weather patterns and flooding of low-lying land, a 1.5-2 °C rise in temperatures could put up to almost a third of plant and animal species at risk of extinction.
2007 Global Warming Trends
- The World Meteorological Organization reported that a record thaw of Summer sea ice allowed the first recorded opening of the Canadian North-west Passage.
- The WMO also reported that the Earth's climate continues to rise precipitiously, "The decade of 1998-2007 is the warmest on record, according to
data obtained by WMO. The global mean surface temperature for 2007 is
currently estimated at 0.41°C/0.74°F above the 1961-1990 annual average
of 14.00°C/57.20°F." - The National Climactic Data Centre in the U.S. reported 2007 temperatures in the country are "expected to be the fifth warmest since records began."
General climate change info
- Climate Change Myths Compiled by the Met Office.
- Tyndall Centre
- Climatic Research Unit at East Anglia University
- WWF Scotland