This year will be the hottest in recorded history after an "extraordinary" November became the sixth record-breaking month in a row, EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service announced on Wednesday.
Samantha Burgess, deputy head of the Copernicus service, said that 2023 has "now had six record-breaking months and two record-breaking seasons. The extraordinary global November temperatures, including two days warmer than 2C above pre-industrial (levels), mean that 2023 is the warmest year in recorded history."
According to Copernicus, 2023's global average temperature is 1.46°C warmer than pre-industrial levels.
There had been warnings this year could take the title of hottest year from 2016 – particularly after records toppled in September and October – but this marks the first time it has been confirmed.
Scientists say data from ice cores, tree rings and the like suggests this year could be the warmest in more than 100,000 years.