Eight of the warmest years on record around the world have taken place in the last decade, figures released today show.

This year's temperatures were the seventh warmest since records began in 1850 the statistics, released to coincide with the United Nations conference in Bali on climate change, reveal.

In the UK, 2007 is expected to be the third hottest since UK-wide records began in 1914. The last six years have all been in the top six.

The measurements provide further evidence that the world is warming up say researchers from the Met Office and the University of East Anglia (UEA), who jointly carried out the study. They were anxious to release the figures as Michel Jarraud, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), spoke at the conference in Bali.

Background

• UN chief to return to Bali climate talks

• Al Gore: free of diplomatic niceties

• Al Gore lambasts US climate obstructions

• Scorching decade claims eight hottest years

2007: worst year for the environment

As UN climate talks go down to the wire, scientists across the world says 2007 was a 'year of worsts' for the planet

• This decade breaks records in table of world's hottest years

Background

• US rejects Bali climate change guidelines

• UN chief: act now on climate or face oblivion

• Al Gore calls for climate ‘mobilisation’

• Carbon emissions are 'higher than claimed'

• A convenient £50m for green Gore

Multimedia

• Video: protests in Bali

• Video: Going green with God

• The environment - 2007 in pictures

Background

• Carbon stand-off puts climate talks at risk

• US 'must change lifestyle' for planet's sake

• Woodman, spare that high-carbon tree

• Act now or prepare for disaster

US laws will sap Europe’s energy

There is a serious danger that the politics of the American cornfield are again threatening trade and development

Background

• Water shortages 'likely trigger for wars'

• Global crisis reveals big cracks in policies

• UN climate circus rolls in on CO2 cloud

• Carbon Trust not meeting the challenge

We’re not doomed yet

Should we really be listening to the views of one man just because they are eye-catchingly more dramatic than the consensus?

Background

• Brown’s bid to seal fate of carrier bags

• Opec ponders wealth of alternatives

• Climate change panel verdict: the future is bleak

• A global warning for UN chief

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Every year since and including 2001 has made it into the top ten warmest years. The hottest of all years was 1998 and the last time a year fell below the 1961-90 global temperature average was in 1985.

This year was forecast to be one of the hottest but initial fears that it would break all temperature records eased when the La Niña event took effect after April.

“The year began with a weak El Niño – the warmer relation of La Niña - and global temperatures well above the long-term average. However, since the end of April the La Niña event has taken some of the heat out of what could have been an even warmer year,” said Professor Phil Jones, Director of UEA’s Climatic Research Unit.

Temperatures in 2007 were warmer in the northern hemispheres, where the year ranks second warmest, than the southern hemisphere, where it ranks ninth warmest, Professor Jones said.

David Parker, a Met Office climate scientist, added: “This year has also seen sea-ice extent in the northern hemisphere below average in each month of 2007, with record minima sea-ice reported in July, August and September. In the southern hemisphere, sea-ice coverage has remained close to average.”

Dr Vicky Pope, of the Met Office Hadley Centre, is one of the scientists at the two-week Bali summit which is expected to conclude tomorrow. She and said: “The last few days have provided an important platform for debate and confirms the need for swift action to combat further rises in global temperatures because of human behaviour.”

World's 10 Warmest Years Mean Global temperature above the average (°C)

1998 0.52

2005 0.48

2003 0.46

2002 0.46

2004 0.43

2006 0.42

2007(Jan-Nov) 0.41

2001 0.40

1997 0.36

1995 0.28

UK's 10 Warmest Years Mean UK Temperature above the average (°C)

2007 (Jan to 10th Dec) + 1.10

2003 + 0.92

2004 + 0.89

2002 + 0.89

2005 + 0.87

1990 + 0.83

1997 + 0.82

1949 + 0.80

1999 + 0.78

Source: Met Office Hadley Centre and UEA Climatic Research Unit

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